Ensure that your flexible cord-and-plug-connected electrical equipment is tested and inspected correctly with our handy guide.
Create a register
All your electrical equipment should be registered for the purpose of ensuring its inspection and testing.
The register should include information related to:
- Type of equipment
- Location (e.g. department, area, etc)
- The person responsible for the equipment.
Equipment to be included
The register should cover all cord-connected electrical equipment. For example:
- Portable electrical tools (e.g. drills, saws, sanders, lamps, etc)
- Extension cords
- Portable outlets
- Portable residual current devices
- Portable isolation transformers
- Tea room equipment (e.g. urns, microwave ovens, refrigerators ,dishwashers, etc.)
- Office equipment (e.g. computers, faxes, photocopiers, shredders, overhead projectors, etc.)
To ensure optimum safety, all cord-and-plug-connected electrical equipment should be regularly inspected, tested and maintained by trained personnel. This is especially important if the electrical equipment may be affected by a hostile operating environment.
To determine the frequency of such inspection, testing and maintenance work, we must first determine if the operating environment is hostile. This is where the electrical equipment is subjected to situations that will result in damage in its normal use. These conditions include:
- Cause mechanical damage to the equipment, or
- Expose the equipment to moisture, heat, vibration, corrosive substances or dust that is likely to result in damage
Determine the inspection and testing schedule
The frequency of testing should be as defined in Table 2 of Australian Standard AS 3760 or the relevant legislation and records maintained as required in the Standard.
Ensure that all inspection and testing is carried out by a trained person, preferably a licensed electrician, in accordance with the specific instructions in Appendices A to D of Australian Standard AS 3760.
Be sure to tag all equipment following the inspection and testing, and include the due date for the next inspection.
In the event that the equipment fails to pass the test, it should be disposed of or sent for repairing.
General advice warning
The information on this site is of a general nature only. It does not take your specific needs or circumstances into consideration. You should look at your own situation and requirements before making any decisions.
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