Are you Keeping up to date with your test and tag requirements in your workplace? Do you know if your workplace is compliant? All electrical equipment needs to be tested and tagged at regular intervals. Depending on the type of equipment and its use, the testing interval will vary. Here is a guideline to how often you should be getting your electrical equipment tested and tagged
6 Monthly – Power Tools, Commercial Kitchen Equipment, commercial vacuum cleaners
12 Monthly – Portable laptops, surge protectors, kettles, toasters, coffee machines in staff rooms, Phone chargers
5 Yearly – Fixed electrical equipment such as computers and fridges
Do you have an electrical Maintenance or test and tag Program in Place?
It is the duty of care of an employer to ensure the safety of their staff and visitors. This includes limiting the possibility of electric shock by ensuring electrical equipment is in good working order. The best way to do this is with an electrical maintenance program. Most people lead a busy life and it is easy to let small but important tasks like electrical safety testing pass by. The best way to stay on top of your electrical safety requirements is to engage an electrical company to manage your ongoing maintenance. Having a licensed electrician manage the test and tag maintenance for you means they will maintaining and storing records so you don’t have to. A licensed electrician will record all of the information in a test and tag register. This will include the current date and next required retest date.
How do licensed electrician’s determine if an appliance is faulty?
- Visually inspecting the appliance for any damage including looking for obvious damage or defects to the cord or plug
- Electrically testing the appliance with an appliance tester
What happens to damaged appliances?
After a defect is identified it will be identified as ‘out of service’ against further use. Sometimes appliances can be repaired by a licensed electrician whilst on site. An example of this is replacing a damaged plug. If the appliance is irreparable it needs to be discarded.