Electrical test and tag is a workplace risk control, not a blanket rule to test every appliance on one national schedule. In Australia, the equipment, how and where it is used, and the state or territory rules determine whether regular inspection and testing is required and how often. The essentials are to identify applicable requirements, use a competent person, keep the required records, and take unsafe equipment out of service.
What is electrical test and tag?
Test and tag is a process for inspecting electrical equipment, carrying out relevant tests, recording the outcome, and attaching a tag that identifies the equipment and test information where required. For a construction workplace, it is one part of managing electrical risk—not a substitute for checking equipment during use, responding to damage, or meeting other electrical safety duties.
The model Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulation applies regular inspection and testing requirements to socket-powered electrical equipment when normal use exposes it to conditions likely to damage it or shorten its expected life. Examples include moisture, heat, vibration, mechanical damage, corrosive chemicals, and dust. New and unused equipment is exempt from the model provision’s initial test requirement, but should still be checked for obvious damage before use. See Safe Work Australia’s electrical equipment guidance and the model WHS Regulations, regulation 150.
These are model rules, not a substitute for the legislation adopted in your state or territory. Safe Work Australia describes regular testing as applying to higher-risk workplaces; lower-risk workplaces are not subject to the same regular testing requirement under its guidance, although inspection may still be needed to ensure equipment is safe. Hire equipment has a separate schedule in that guidance: competent inspection and testing before each hire and every three months.
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How often should electrical equipment be tested and tagged?
There is no single safe interval for every Australian workplace. The appropriate schedule depends on the equipment, its environment and use, the industry, and the applicable jurisdiction. Check the current local rules before setting dates; do not transfer another state’s interval or a general industry schedule to your site without confirming it applies.
Queensland examples
WorkSafe Queensland’s guidance, which refers to the Electrical Safety Regulation 2026, gives these maximum intervals for specific categories. They are Queensland examples, not nationwide requirements or a complete interval list:
| Queensland category | Maximum interval stated |
|---|---|
| Construction work, other equipment | Three months |
| Construction work involving transportable structures, fixed and transportable equipment, and construction wiring | Six months |
| Office work without a safety switch | Five years |
These categories have specific definitions and conditions, and Queensland lists other industries and equipment separately. Check the current WorkSafe Queensland testing and tagging guidance and applicable regulation before assigning an interval. Queensland says its regulation takes precedence over AS/NZS 3760 where the regulation applies.
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Other jurisdictions
SafeWork NSW says frequency depends on the nature of the workplace and equipment risk, and points readers to AS/NZS 3760 for general inspection and testing and AS/NZS 3012 for construction sites. Check your own regulator’s current rules and the relevant standard rather than copying Queensland or another jurisdiction’s schedule. The SafeWork NSW electrical equipment guidance explains its approach.
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Who can test and tag electrical equipment?
Testing must be performed by a competent person. WorkSafe Queensland states, “Only a person appointed as competent by their employer can test and tag electrical equipment.” In Queensland, competence can come from training, experience, qualifications, or a combination; the employer or self-employed person decides whether the person’s knowledge and skills are sufficient for the work.
A training course or a purchased tester does not by itself establish that someone is competent to carry out every test. Nor does competence to test authorize electrical repairs: repair work may require an appropriate electrical work licence. If your workplace lacks a suitably capable person, arrange a service provider and establish who will document results and handle failed equipment.
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What does a workplace test-and-tag process involve?
Use a controlled process that matches equipment to the applicable rules and keeps failures out of service. Detailed electrical test procedures and limits belong to the current complete standard and should be followed by a competent person; they should not be improvised from a summary.
- Identify the equipment and requirements. Determine what the item is, where and how it is used, whether its normal conditions create a higher risk, and which state or territory rules apply.
- Inspect for damage. Look for signs that equipment, plugs, leads, or enclosures are damaged or affected by the conditions of use. New and unused equipment still needs an obvious-damage check before use.
- Arrange competent testing. Have a competent person perform the relevant inspection and tests using suitable equipment and the applicable standard and local rules.
- Record the outcome and next due date. Keep the required test information with the equipment record and make it possible to match that record to the item.
- Tag where required and schedule follow-up. Attach a durable, legible tag where required, and schedule the next inspection or test for the applicable date.
- Isolate failures. If equipment is unsafe, remove it from service and prevent reconnection until it has been repaired and tested safe, or replaced or removed.
The preview of AS/NZS 3760:2022 identifies documentation, competent-person knowledge, earthing continuity, insulation testing, RCD operating-time testing, and indicative interval material within its scope. A preview is not a substitute for the complete current standard, and it does not provide a basis for reproducing detailed test procedures or limits.
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What records and tags should you keep?
Where model regulation 150 applies, the testing record includes the tester’s name, test date, outcome, and next test due date. Retain it until the equipment is tested again, permanently removed, or disposed of. The tag itself may serve as the record, provided the information is legible and the tag can be matched to the equipment. SafeWork NSW also describes these record details in its electrical equipment guidance.
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A tag records an inspection or test at a point in time. It does not make damaged equipment safe or guarantee that equipment remains safe after conditions change or damage occurs. Workers should report defects when they notice them rather than relying on a current-looking tag.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should happen when equipment fails?
Isolate unsafe equipment and prevent anyone from using or reconnecting it. It must stay out of service until it has been repaired and tested as safe, or has been replaced or removed. A tag or record should not be treated as permission to use an item that is visibly damaged or otherwise unsafe.
How do RCDs fit into test and tag?
Residual current devices (RCDs), also called safety switches or RCCBs, detect harmful electrical leakage and switch off the supply. Safe Work Australia’s guidance specifies RCD use in the higher-risk socket-powered context it describes and calls for competent regular testing of fixed and portable RCDs. RCD duties and intervals are related to, but distinct from, the ordinary appliance test-and-tag schedule; check the local requirements for both. See Safe Work Australia’s guidance on electrical equipment and RCDs.
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Should you manage testing in-house or use a service?
Choose an approach that can meet the actual work and local requirements. An in-house program can suit a workplace with a person whose competence covers the equipment and tests involved, and a reliable system for records and failed items. An external service may be appropriate where that capability is not available internally.
- Confirm the tester’s demonstrable competence and whether they can perform the required tests for your equipment.
- Check their familiarity with the applicable local rules and standards.
- Agree how results, equipment identification, and next-due dates will be recorded and retained.
- Establish how failed items will be isolated and how repair, replacement, and retesting will be handled.
- Make sure retesting is scheduled at the interval that applies to your workplace and equipment.
If buying a portable appliance tester, assess whether its functions suit the tasks, how it supports records, and what training and manufacturer support are available. The instrument does not confer competence. Durable test-and-tag labels can help identify equipment and show test details where required, but labels alone do not establish compliance.
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