What is Test & Tag?
Test and Tag NZ
Test and Tag is the name given to the process of checking the safety of portable electrical appliances. It involves two parts: first visually inspecting the appliance for any damage, followed by electrically testing it with a Portable Appliance Tester.
Once tested, the item is placed with a tag to confirm that it has in fact been tested, along with showing who tested it, the test date and when the next test is due.
The primary reason behind doing testing and tagging is to ensure the safety of the people in the workplace coming into contact with the appliance, while also minimising the risk of an electrical hazard. If an accident does occur and no testing and tagging was previously completed on that item, the employer may be considered liable.
The AS/NZS 3760 is the New Zealand and Australian Standard that provides guidelines and regulations for the test and tag industry with regards to electrical safety of appliances. It sets our recommendations to issues such as test and tag intervals, defines who can test and tag and general recommendations. This Standard was recently updated in 2022 with a list of various changes, along with now being called the AS/NZS 3760:2022
Who needs to test and tag?
Industries such as construction, demolition and mining are required to have their appliances tested and tagged every 3 months. This is because of the harsh nature of the industry which is likely to damage equipment at a faster rate.
