Is Test & Tag a Legal Requirement?

There are a number of industries and circumstances where testing and tagging is mandatory. This includes mining, construction and demolition, along with any electrical items sold second hand or equipment that has been repaired. 

It’s worth mentioning before we go into detail that the primary reason for testing and tagging is to help ensure the safety of the people in the workplace – so basically to lower the risk of an electrical incident and people coming into contact with an appliance that isn’t safe. With this in mind, it makes sense to test and tag regardless.

For industries such as mining, construction, demolition and marine – yes it is mandatory for them to test and tag every 3 months. What these type of industries have in common is that all of them are considered ‘hostile environments’, so the damage made to equipment will be accelerated. This is specifically mentioned in the Australian Standards AS/NZS 3760 which governs everything relating to the test and tag industry and PAT Testing. In terms of electrical items being tested every 3 months or more for other industries, everything is detailed within the Australian Standard under test and tag intervals. 

There are some other scenarios where testing and tagging is required under OHS obligations. Any electrical goods (main powered) that are sold second-hand must be inspected and tested in accordance with AS/NZS 5671 (it excludes private sale). Likewise, any electrical equipment that has been repaired (where the electrical circuit has been impacted) must be tested and tagged in accordance with AS/NZS 5762 prior to a return to service.

For other types of industries, it is not a legal requirement or compulsory to test and tag. However, it is highly recommended as the business owner has a duty of care of the people who work there and to provide a safe working environment, and testing and tagging is one to demonstrate compliance with safety standards and reduce the risk of electrical incidents. 

What happens if you don’t test and tag?

If an electrical accident does occur and no testing and tagging was previously completed on that item, the employer may held liable. This liability could result in fines or other legal consequences. It can also impact insurance policies as some require proof of compliance. This applies to all industries, including those not mandated, such as an office environment.

The severity and consequences will depend on the specific circumstances of the incident. To avoid potential legal and financial repercussions, not to mention to risk to employee safety, it's much simpler and safer to include testing and tagging into your safety routine. 

Testing and Tagging the Workplace: Who Can Do It?

There are essentially two main options to choose from, hiring a test and tag professional or having someone within the business learn how to test and tag internally.

Option 1: Use Test and Tag a service provider

Using a company that offers test and tag is a fairly straightforward approach. Someone from the company will come to your workplace and test all of your electrical appliances and then tag them accordingly. It's up to them to maintain records, such as the test date, when the next test is due and who tested it. This option is more suited to businesses who prefer to focus on their operations without worrying about compliance tasks. 

Option 2: Learn to Test and Tag yourself

A very common and cost-effective approach is having someone within the company learn how to test and tag your appliances. To perform test and tag, the person has to be considered a 'Competent Person'. This is achieved by successfully completing a Test and Tag Course over 1 full day, thus giving you the skills and knowledge to undertake this.

By choosing this option you're effectively saving money in the long-haul and giving yourself more flexibility to test your appliances on your own schedule. There is however an initial investment up front to buy equipment and accessories, such as buying a portable appliance tester and electrical test tags.

However, this option tends to be cheaper in the long-run, especially if you're regularly testing and tagging a large number of appliances.

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