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Executive summary

Overview of 2025

During 2025, 3 notifiable and 18 non-notifiable accidents¹ in New Zealand were reported to WorkSafe’s Energy Safety team comprising of:

• For the first time in the last 33 years, no notifiable electrical shock accidents were reported during 2025. However, thirteen non-notifiable accidents (non-fire) were reported.
• Two notifiable and 3 non-notifiable LPG accidents were reported. There were no casualties from the notifiable accidents.
• One notifiable and 2 non-notifiable natural gas accidents were reported. The notifiable accident resulted in injuries to one person, with no fatalities.

High-risk groups 1993–2025

Since 1993, electrical and gas (natural and LPG) accidents in New Zealand have been analysed according to high-risk groups to provide information about trends, frequency, common causes, and severity.

Electrical accidents

The previously recorded public accidents (1993–2008), and all public electrical accidents investigated since 2009 by Energy Safety, are aggregated as a single electrical accident category to enable analysis.

Two categories of particular interest are accidents involving young people and electrical safety in domestic residential environments.

Only notifiable shock electrical accidents were recorded in the database until the end of 2007. A new database that has been in use since the beginning of 2008 allows Energy Safety to record non-notifiable electrical accidents.

Young people (17 years old and under)

Since 1993 this age group has been involved in 35% (107) of the total notifiable public accidents (302), resulting in 19 fatalities and injuries to 97 people.

Domestic environment

More than 55% (167 of 302) of notifiable electrical accidents involving the general public over the last 33 years occurred in a domestic environment, resulting in 33 fatalities (62% of the total 53 fatalities) and injuries to 136 people, representing 51% of the total of 266 injuries.

More than 56% (217 of 390) of non-notifiable accidents occurred in domestic environments in the last 17 years (2008–2025).

Natural gas accidents

In the last 33 years, a total of 219 notifiable natural gas accidents and 666 non-notifiable accidents were reported to Energy Safety.

Equipment

Cookers and ovens

A total of 38 (17%) notifiable natural gas accidents involved cookers or ovens. Twelve accidents resulted in one fatality and injuries to fourteen people.

Cookers and ovens accounted for 79 (12%) reported non-notifiable natural gas accidents.

Space heaters

A total of 60 (27%) notifiable natural gas accidents involved space heaters. Of these incidents, 16 accidents resulted in 3 fatalities and injuries to 22 people.

Space heaters accounted for 135 (20%) of reported non-notifiable accidents.

Water heaters and boilers

A total of 72 (33%) notifiable natural gas accidents reported, involved water heaters or boilers. Of these, 17 resulted in 1 fatality and injuries to 20 people.

Water heaters and boilers accounted for 41 (6%) reported non-notifiable accidents.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)

In the last 33 years, a total of 462 notifiable LPG accidents and 637 non-notifiable accidents were reported to Energy Safety.

Equipment

Cookers and ovens

Of the 462 notifiable LPG accidents reported, 139 (30%) involved cookers or ovens. Out of the 139 notifiable accidents involving cookers or ovens, 101 resulted in 19 fatalities and injuries to 130 people.

Cookers and ovens accounted for 107 (17%) of reported non-notifiable LPG accidents.

Cabinet heaters

There were 144 (31%) notifiable LPG accidents reported that involved cabinet heaters. Out of these, 67 accidents resulted in 13 fatalities and injuries to a further 67 people.

Cabinet heaters accounted for 173 (27%) of reported non-notifiable accidents.

Containers (refillable)

There were 26 (6%) notifiable accidents reported that involved LPG refillable containers. This resulted in 16 accidents that caused 4 fatalities and injured 20 people.

Refillable containers accounted for 94 (15%) of the reported non-notifiable accidents.

Environment

Caravans and campervans

There were 49 (11%) of the 462 notifiable LPG accidents that occurred in caravans or campervans. Of these, 35 caused 11 fatalities and injuries to 41 people.

There were 22 (35%) reported non-notifiable accidents occurred in caravans or campervans.

1. See Appendix for definitions of ‘notifiable’ and ‘non-notifiable’ accidents.

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