Why Do We Test and Tag Electrical Equipment?
We can have a look at what the Government says here:
And if you cannot be bothered to have a look I have copied it below.
Testing and tagging electrical appliances is one useful way to check electrical equipment is safe.
However, it's not mandatory. What is legally required is that equipment is electrically safe and maintained in a safe condition.
Testing and tagging doesn't guarantee future electrical safety, what it does is provide a snapshot of how safe the appliance is at the time of testing.
It is up to the person conducting the business or undertaking (PCBU) to decide whether to test and tag. They can either get the testing equipment and train up a worker, or hire a third-party to carry out the testing.
Whoever does the work must have the knowledge and skills to do the task correctly. It doesn't need to be a registered electrical worker but the person needs to be able to understand the Standards involved. However, only a registered electrical worker will be able to fix any problems the testing reveals.
How often you test and tag depends on the nature of the equipment and the workplace. For example, electrical equipment used on a construction site – outside and in damp conditions – would need more frequent testing than a computer in an office.
Whether you decide to test and tag or not, it's important to regularly look at cords, plugs and tools to see if they're damaged.
And remember, whether tested and tagged or not, electrical equipment still needs to be RCD-protected in certain circumstances, such as outside in the damp.
Related resources
The Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 apply to appliances, leads, and hand-held tools connected to electricity.
The AS/NZS 3760 Standard is an option for PCBUs to demonstrate compliance testing and tagging.
The AS/NZS 3012 Standard provides guidance for the safe use of electricity on construction and demolition sites.
Our guide for ensuring electrical safety on small construction sites provides information about electrical supply on small construction sites.
Simply put it is undertaken so no one gets injured or killed at work through negligence of the owner of the equipment.
The excuse “its brand new, I just bought it from wherever” does not work here. In New Zealand new equipment must be tested before its first use. Fortunately, it is the same test for new and old gear in NZ so it is a simple process.
Equipment hired from overseas must also be test and tagged, this is best left to qualified registered persons who understand the differences in wiring between NZ and overseas.
The hirer has the responsibility to ensure that the equipment complies with requirements of AS/NZS3760 at the commencement of the hire.
The person who has hired to use the equipment has responsibility of testing and tagging during the hireage if the test date expires while it is hired. So, any long form features or TV shows the equipment will be on set beyond its expiry date, it is the responsibility of the production to ensure that the equipment is test and tagged or removed from service for repair if it fails.
Records must be kept of testing, yes even the items that fail so the person responsible for maintenance will have a record if that item has a history.
Repair of faulty equipment can only be undertaken by a registered electrical worker.
I would rather offend someone now than attend a funeral caused by negligence in complying with test and tag procedures.
Therefore, I will state that we do not have worst departments in our industry for compliance, every department is bad. If you are testing and tagging to the rules then I congratulate you and appreciate your contribution to everyone’s safety on set. So those of you that are not complying up your game and comply, it is not just yourselves that you are risking but anyone else who uses your equipment or touches it. Kill or injure yourself with faulty equipment and it's your bad luck, kill or injure someone else and it is a lot more serious.
Test and tag is not mandatory but as a supplier of electrical equipment you are required to prove that it is safe and this is an internationally proven way to do so. This covers all electrical equipment that is on a production. Offices, tea room, workshops, sets etc.
If you hire an item from a provider and it is not tested or the test is out of date you have a few options.
- return it to them to get tested
- arrange to have it tested yourself
If the above then fail the test it must not be brought on to the job in the hope it will be ok.
If you are suspicious of an item get it tested.
Tag and test finds over 90% of faults just with the first test which is a visual examination of the item, damaged cables, loose wires in clear top plugs, incorrect cabling, loose components (rattles), incorrect fittings.
Testers come in many styles and prices, the cheaper ones generally give a pass or fail result for the required tests whilst the expensive machines will give a reading of the values that enable a pass or fail. This means that an item might be a “pass” but could be very close in value to a failure.
This is something a qualified person will pick up on during testing and should advise the owner of the equipment that this is so.
Top-end machines will also store the results that can then be downloaded to a computer/phone and passed onto the owner to be kept for 7 years. This is often easier than having to write out the records.
It is like a Warrant of Fitness test on your car or a Certificate of Fitness test on a truck. If someone you cared about was injured or killed by a vehicle with no WOF/COF and a WOF/COF failure was found to be the cause of the incident you would not be very happy about it.
Just as it is the duty of a vehicle owner to keep it in a roadworthy condition and not just at test time, so it is a requirement of the owner of electrical equipment to keep it safe and be able to prove it.
It is not funny when I turn up on set to see equipment that I tested 5 years ago still with my tags on it. Nor is it my fault if someone gets injured through use of this equipment when it is well past its test expiry date. At this point, it is the owner of the equipment who is responsible.
Practical lights are most likely to cause a shock on a film set as they are often old and have been repaired many times often by an unqualified person using whatever they had lying around. Many of these lights are wired with incorrect cable and are missing earths when they should have them. It can easily take over an hour to rebuild a non-compliant practical light fitting which is why these must be checked in advance before a shoot starts and I will repeat: repair work can only be undertaken by a qualified competent person.
Art department: please do not rock up to set with a van full of practicals and expect lighting to make sure they are safe to use. It is not their responsibility to do this and often they do not have a qualified competent person to do this or are just too busy.
You bring them along then get them tested before the job.
And we have not mentioned the insurers’ take on this. Insurance companies do not like giving out money and therefore would be very keen on recovering expenses incurred by them from the person responsible for any incident.
Then there are the costs financially and emotionally incurred by a Worksafe investigation.
If you want to know what they can hit you with go to the link below, insurance will not cover these costs. Sobering reading.
Think about it, is it worth not making sure our gear is safe for everyone who touches it?
