Test & Tag: Why… and is it worth it? A fair question, one that many clients ask me.
The 2 main reasons for electrical safety testing are:
1/ Because having a trained second pair of eyes inspecting your equipment for visible damage as well as electrically testing the equipment goes a very long way to reduce & remove potential hazards from the workplace. That is a good thing!
2/ The other really important reason for electrical testing is your “duty of care”
Test and tag or electrical appliance safety testing was born out of the OH&S act that imposes a duty of care on all employers. So how does an employer demonstrate a “duty of care”? More to the point is …How does an employer prove his duty of care? If you cannot prove you have done all these good things to improve your employee safety then you have missed the bus. In the event of a workplace incident it is vital to your business to be in the position to prove you have taken reasonable steps to keep your employees safe. An invoice of work completed is not proof for electrical safety testing being completed. A tag on an appliance is not proof of it being tested. The proof is in test results, not hand written but recorded by a Portable Appliance Tester (PAT) and printed with a day/time stamp and location. The same applies for training and safety equipment you need to prove the training was received and understood and safety equipment received and knowledge of how to use the equipment.
Read more on Test & Tag in ….. How do I know I am getting what I THINK I am paying for?
Additionally the Act required all electrical equipment on work sites to be tested at regular intervals (every 3 months).