Test & Tag Regulations QLD

Is Test and Tag Legally Required in QLD?

Queensland employers and self-employed people must ensure specified electrical equipment and safety switches are regularly inspected and tested where required under the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013.

Requirements vary depending on the type of work being performed. Queensland has specific provisions for:

• Construction work
• Manufacturing work
• Service work
• Office work
• Amusement work
• Rural industry work
• Electrical equipment offered for hire

"Specified electrical equipment" generally includes electrical equipment with a current rating of no more than 20 amps, cord extension sets and electrical portable outlet devices. For office and service work, the definition is more limited and generally applies to equipment moved during normal use for its intended purpose.

Testing requirements should be determined according to the equipment, work environment, applicable Queensland regulation, relevant Australian Standard and workplace risk assessment.

For current regulatory information, refer to WorkSafe Queensland's testing and tagging guidance.

Who Can Test and Tag in QLD?

Testing and tagging in Queensland must be performed by a competent person.

Competency is based on the knowledge and skills gained through training, qualifications, experience or a combination of these. The employer is responsible for appointing a person who is competent to perform the work. A self-employed person must similarly ensure they have the necessary competency.

A nationally recognised Test & Tag Course provides formal training and assessment in visually inspecting equipment, using a portable appliance tester, performing the required tests, interpreting results, applying tags and maintaining testing information.

You do not need an electrical work licence to perform specified workplace safety testing when the work is carried out by a competent person. However, you must hold the appropriate electrical work licence to repair, install or modify electrical equipment.

Testing Equipment Within Your Own Organisation

If employees are testing equipment used within their own organisation, the employer must ensure the person performing the work is competent.

The person should be able to:

• Visually inspect electrical equipment
• Select and perform the appropriate electrical tests
• Use a portable appliance tester correctly
• Interpret test results
• Identify unsafe equipment
• Apply the appropriate tags
• Maintain clear testing information

The employer or self-employed person remains responsible for ensuring that the person performing the work is competent.

Providing Test and Tag Services to Others

Queensland has an additional licensing requirement for businesses that provide test and tag services to other people or organisations.

The business must hold an electrical contractor licence that permits testing and tagging work. Depending on the business and its existing licence, this may be:

• A restricted electrical contractor licence endorsed for testing and tagging work
• An unrestricted electrical contractor licence that permits the work

The contractor licence belongs to the business or legal entity providing the service. It is separate from the competency of the individual performing the testing.

Businesses intending to offer these services should confirm their licensing requirements with the Queensland Electrical Safety Office.

Completing a nationally recognised Test & Tag Course helps establish the tester's competency, but the course does not automatically provide an electrical contractor licence.

View QLD Dates & Locations

AS/NZS 3760 and AS/NZS 3012 in Queensland

Two Australian Standards are particularly relevant to testing and tagging in Queensland:

• AS/NZS 3760:2022 provides guidance for the in-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs.
• AS/NZS 3012 applies specifically to electrical installations and equipment used for construction and demolition work.

Queensland's Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 contains prescribed requirements and testing intervals for several types of work. Where the regulation specifies an interval or requirement, it takes precedence over the general guidance in AS/NZS 3760.

AS/NZS 3760 was updated in 2022, introducing changes to definitions, inspection procedures, documentation and the types of equipment covered. Learn more in our guide to the changes to AS/NZS 3760.

Test and Tag Colours in QLD

Electrical equipment used for construction and demolition work follows the quarterly colour-coded tagging system under AS/NZS 3012.

The colour indicates the period in which the equipment was tested:

• Red: December to February
• Green: March to May
• Blue: June to August
• Yellow: September to November

The colours rotate every three months, making it easier to identify equipment that may be overdue for testing.

Other Queensland workplaces are not necessarily required to use this quarterly system. An employer, principal contractor, industry or individual site may establish additional colour-coding requirements.

Mining operations may also have industry-specific or site-specific testing and tagging procedures, so workers should follow the requirements that apply at the particular mine.

Learn more in our complete test and tag colour guide.

Test and Tag Intervals in QLD

Queensland testing intervals depend on the type of work and electrical equipment involved.

The maximum intervals include:

• Construction work—most portable and other equipment: 3 months
• Construction work—transportable structures, fixed and transportable equipment and construction wiring: 6 months
• Manufacturing work—equipment that is not double-insulated: 6 months
• Manufacturing work—double-insulated equipment: 12 months
• Service work—specified equipment without safety-switch protection: 12 months
• Office work—specified equipment without safety-switch protection: 5 years
• Rural work—equipment exposed to stated electrical risk factors without safety-switch protection: 12 months
• Amusement work—equipment that is not double insulated: 6 months
• Amusement work—double-insulated equipment: 12 months

Different requirements can apply where equipment is protected by an appropriate safety switch. Equipment offered for hire is also subject to separate inspection and testing requirements.

These are maximum intervals. A workplace may test more frequently because of its equipment, operating conditions, risk assessment, manufacturer's instructions or client requirements.

See our complete test and tag intervals guide.

Tags, Failed Equipment and Testing Records

When equipment passes inspection and testing, a durable tag must be attached showing:

• The date the equipment was tested
• The date the next inspection and test are due

If equipment fails, it must be immediately withdrawn from use and have a durable tag attached warning people not to use it.

Clear testing records should also be maintained. Depending on the applicable requirements and workplace system, these may include:

• Identification of the equipment
• The tester's name
• The test date
• The tests performed
• The outcome
• The next scheduled test date
• Details of any failed equipment or action taken

Testing records help businesses monitor due dates, demonstrate that electrical risks are being managed and prevent unsafe equipment from being returned to service.