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Ensuring Safety in the work place a mandatory obligation

June 15th, 2010
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A risk free workplace  has always been very important in the workplace, but in recent times the concern of legal action has ensured that it is currently of vital significance. The employer nowadays more than before, has a obligation of care to ensure a safe working environment for their employees. Testing and Tagging Electrical of appliances is one area focused on and OH&S regulations suggest that they are tested in according to Australian Standard AS3760. This will ensure that all of your electric appliances are safe will remove the risk of death or injury by electrocution. Test and Tag Melbourne has more details on qualified technicians that are able to assist.

Electrical equipment that need testing and tagging are any that are portable and can be plugged into a power point, so this doesn’t apply to those appliances that are hard wired i.e. no plug attached. All portable appliances in a workplace, whether it is used on a building site or in an office environment, should be tested and tagged, even if it is personal property, as this ensures that the risk of electrocution is minimized. Employers will then able to provide a safe working environment, have lower work safe premiums and minimise time lost in production because of injury.

The testing process starts with a visual test. This entails inspection of the lead for damage, checking the right current rating plug is attached and if wired correctly and checking the lead is attached correctly to the back of the equipment. The appliance is then plugged into a PAT (portable appliance tester) and is electronically checked for earthing continuity and insulation resistance. In some cases the appliance is required to be activated by the PAT to complete the test. It then has a current test label attached. If any appliance fails any of these tests it will then have a fault label attached and piece of equipmet is taken from service.

The frequency of testing depends on the environment. Office equipment is deemed to be in a low category risk so therefore AS3760 suggests a period of three to five. Building sites are usually much higher risk working environments and should be tested every of ninety days as they are seen as hostile environments where equipment etc are subject to continual misuse. Schools and hotels are normally checked annually because these devices come under greater stress than in average domestic situations. Electrical equipment that is used in workshops requires testing more often.

Testing and tagging must be performed by an electrician or a competent person who has completed a certified course and is able to work without supervision according to the AS3760 standard. The results of the test and tag process should be logged and a copy given to the employer as well as details of any faulty items and any incidental OH&S issues. There are a number of companies that offer Testing and Tagging training courses so that you can self train or an employee to conduct the testing and tagging. Alternatively, you can outsource the testing and tagging to one of the many trained “Test and Tag” technicians, who will come out to your workplace and test and tag your electicat appliances, the cost of which is often established on the number of equipment that you have to be tested.

See Test and Tag Melbourne for more details


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