Electricity Safety Regulations
The Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 is the legislation that dictates that businesses and organisations need to ensure the electrical fittings and appliances that they provide for the use of the staff, visitors or the public are electrically safe. The clause below is an extract from the legislation and can be viewed in full by clicking here.
It states one way of complying with the regulations (testing and tagging in accordance with AS/NZS 3760) and does not state that this is the way that you have to do it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t state what your other options are; this is because any other options are not supported by any standards or codes of practice that are referenced in our legislation. As always the devil is in the details when something goes wrong!
What is test and tag?
By carrying out your testing and tagging in accordance with AS/NZS 3760 you have a reference of how the testing should be done; as well as guidance for how often it should be tested based on the environment it is used in. Your test and tag service provider should carry an up-to-date copy of this Standard that they can take you through at any stage of your testing.
If your testing is conducted another away (not in accordance with AS/NZS 3760), then you may find that if there is an incident, you may have to justify why an item was tested a particular way and what reference was used to deem it electrically safe.
You can read more about how your testing and tagging should be done on our HOW page or by clicking here.
Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010 – extract from clause 26
(Full clause can be viewed by clicking here)
(1) This regulation applies to a fitting or appliance, other than an electrical medical device, that is in use, or available for use, —
(a) by an employee or contractor of the owner of the fitting or appliance; or
(b) by a hirer or lessee under a hire or lease agreement with the owner of the fitting or appliance; or
(c) by the occupier of premises that are rented or leased from the owner of the fitting or appliance.
(2) A fitting or appliance described in subclause (1)(a) is deemed to be electrically safe if it has a current tag issued in accordance with AS/NZS 3760.
(3) A fitting or appliance described in subclause (1)(b) or (c) is deemed to be electrically safe—
(4) A fitting described in subclause (1)(b) or (c) is deemed to be electrically safe if it is a fitting that is part of an installation and it complies with AS/NZS 3019.