Complying With the OH&S Act by Testing and Tagging Electrical Appliances in Accordance of AS3760

The Occupational Health and Safety Act places a duty of care to provide a safe workplace. Failure to maintain electrical equipment in a safe condition or to use equipment in accordance with manufacturer's instructions may result in injury or death to yourself, employees, or other parties. To meet the duty of care it is necessary to ensure that risk of injury from lectric shock for all people at the workplace is reduced as far as is reasonably practicable. A method of achieving this duty is by testing and tagging electrical equipment, and implementing procedures for use of electrical equipment.

"Portable electrical equipment, including flexible cords need to be regularly inspected for wear and mechanical damage, and periodically tested for earth continuity and insulation resistance. Procedures for testing of electrical leads, tools and equipment and the frequency of these tests can be found in: Joint Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZ 3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment"

Energy Safe Victoria, Regular Checking of Electrical Equipment, September 2005

Inspection and Testing

Electrical equipment needs to be Inspected and tagged on a regular basis. Inspections are to be carried out by a person certified as competent to undertake the testing. Testing and tagging needs to be in accordance with the performance specifications of:

Australian Standard 3760: 2003 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment.

In-Service procedures

Where applicable, in-service testing and inspection shall include:

  • External inspection of the equipment and the connecting facilities (eg flexible supply cord)

  • Protective earth continuity tests for Class 1 equipment, power boards and cord sets

  • Insulation testing, which may be achieved by measuring insulation resistance, or leakage current

  • Confirmation of the correct polarity of live connections in cord sets with re-wireable plugs and cord extension sockets.

    • Checks for damage to flexible supply cords that include:

  • The inner cores of flexible supply cords are not exposed or twisted

  • The external sheaths of flexible supply cords are not cut, abraded, twisted, or damaged to such an extent that the insulation of the inner cores is visible

  • Unprotected conductors or the use of banding insulation tape are not in evidence.

    • Unsafe equipment

    To meet your duty of care under the OHS Act and to comply with the Australian Standard 3760:2003, equipment that may be unsafe should be withdrawn immediately from service and have a label attached warning against further use. Arrangements should be made, as soon as possible, for such equipment to be disposed, destroyed, or repaired by an authorised repair agent or competent person. The owner or person responsible for the safety of the site shall determine the choice of remedial action, disposal or other corrective action.

    Mark Grech
    All Safe Workplace Inspections Technical Director
    http://www.allsafett.com.au

    All Safe are Melbourne based electrical testing and tagging specialists, servicing Victoria wide, with a range of Occupational Health and Safety services in accordance with Australian Standards AS3760.