Electrical Safety Standard
According to AS/NZS 3760:2010, test and tagging needs to be done on all the electrical appliances to make sure that every appliance is in good working condition i.e. cords, plugs, and switches. Specifically, it focusses on test and tagging frequencies, inspection and testing specifications, record keeping and other general guidelines.
Inspection and retesting intervals can range from daily, monthly, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 2 years and up to 5 yearly testing schedules.
Exclusions
The following items are excluded from the recommendations of this Standard:-
- Fixed or "hard wired" items
- Items at a height exceeding 2.5mtrs
- Items which need to be dismantled to establish safety of operation
- Demonstration items, sample items or new stock in a retail or warehouse outlet
Testing Required
Under the standard, the following basic tests may be conducted on each appliance:
- Visual inspection
- Insulation resistance
- Earth continuity
- Polarity
- Earth leakage
Record Keeping
The standard requires the following record keeping establishing the history of tests:
- A test tag attached to each item indicating date, item, person performing the test, and status (pass/fail) of test, along with the retest date
- An asset register and historical record of all test items and test results
- A record of results including faulty item and repair action