Test & Tag

Under WORKSAFE and the Electrical regulations every employer must provide an electrically safe workplace.
This is a statutory requirement.
Also many insurance companies require the insured to comply with all current regulations.
The responsibility on the employer to ensure work equipment is safe is also covered by WORKSAFE regulations stating, “Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided”. This includes all work equipment (fixed, portable or transportable) connected to a source of electrical energy.”
Both WORKSAFE and Electrical regulations site AS/NZS 3760 as a means of compliance. This is the law.

By having your equipment inspected and tested with appropriate test equipment by fully trained and experienced operators to AS/NZS 3760. A one-week course is not enough to train operators for the many variables in the correct testing of appliances. We train our testing technicians and supervise there testing until they are competent to inspect and test on their own.

In short every enterprise e.g. All Businesses, schools, government departments, factories, workshops, hotels, motels, restaurants, engineering & construction companies, offices, health care facilities, trades people etc.

Any electrical equipment that is connected to the electrical supply by a flexible cord and/or connecting device. It may include pieces of equipment that are or have been:

• Being used for the first time
• Already being used
• Has recently been serviced or repaired
• Returning to service from a second-hand sale
• Available for hire

It also applies to certain forms of residual current devices (RCDs). The equipment we test can vary greatly from business to business. If you’re unsure which items you’d like tested, contact us for a chat today. We’ve worked with a large number of unique companies so we can offer some insight into your specific electrical testing needs.

Frequency varies according to the type of environment and/or equipment. Electrical test tags should be applied at the following intervals:
*please note, these intervals dictate the maximum time frame for testing in each environment. Depending on your equipment/workplace, further tests will need to be conducted more frequently. For more information, contact us today or refer to the AS/NZS 3760 standard.

• Demolition and construction environments (as per AS/NZS 3012): every 3 months
• Factories, workshops, places of manufacture, assembly, maintenance or fabrication: every 6 months
• Environment where the equipment or supply flexible cord is subject to flexing in normal use OR is open to abuse OR is in a hostile environment: every 12 months
• Environment where the equipment or supply cord is NOT subject to flexing in normal use and is NOT open to abuse and is NOT in a hostile environment: every 5 years
• Residential type areas: hotels, residential institutions, motels, boarding houses, halls, hostels accommodation houses etc.: every 2 years
• Equipment used for commercial cleaning: every 6 months
• Hire equipment: Inspection: prior to hire
• Hire equipment: Test and tag: every 3 months
• Repaired, serviced and second-hand equipment: After repair or service or on reintroduction to service

Yes. Due to the hazardous nature of construction work regular inspection and testing of electrical equipment is warranted and must be carried out. The requirements are outlined in the WorkSafe NZ Code of Practice – Electrical practices for construction work.

Yes. Electrical equipment that has been serviced or repaired which could have affected electrical safety must be inspected, tested and tagged in accordance with the requirements of the Standard, AS/NZS 3760:2010 prior to the equipment being placed back into service.

When an item will fails the test, it is the responsibility of the technician to report the defective item and label it accordingly. Based on the detected fault items are removed from use and testing or repairs can be completed to fix the fault.

Yes, all equipment needs to be turned off before going into testing. It must avoid some great hazards and also ensure the safety of our operators and customers. The equipment can be turned back on once the assessment has been finished.

The time required for testing and tagging should be varied depends on the specific appliance being tested. A visual inspection of the appliance takes a few minutes at a time and some other appliances may have to go through several tests prior to being labelled as safe and acceptable.

Yes, however, you would need to ensure that any person who carries this testing out is competent to do so.
Standard AS/NZS 3760 states that: “The operation, maintenance and testing of electrical systems and equipment should be carried out only by those persons who are competent for the particular class of work.
Those carrying out inspection and testing must be competent to undertake the inspection and testing of appliances and have due regard to their own safety and that of others.
The tester must have an understanding of the modes of electrical, mechanical or thermal damage to electrical equipment and appliances and their flexes, which may be encountered in any environment.
Training must include the identification of equipment and appliance types to determine the test procedures and frequency of inspection and testing.

Persons must be familiar with the test instruments used and in particular their limitations and restrictions so as to achieve repeatable results without damaging the equipment or appliance.
The importance must be stressed of labeling and reporting to managers for action on defects, trends or changes in their assessment of risk.

Although you may believe that purchasing your own Portable Appliance Test instrument and having in-house staff carry out the portable appliance testing may be more cost effective, there are several factors to bear in mind.

You would need to ensure that the requirement of competence is met, which will undoubtedly involve expenditure in training and supervision by a fully experienced technician through the first weeks of testing.
You need to purchase the equipment and the software, and gain the expertise in its use.
We find that many companies who have tried to carry out testing in-house also take more time to do the testing as the staff generally only do this as part of their job, and do not have the experience to minimise the disruption factor in shutting down equipment. There may also be a tendency to “pass” appliances that may present a potential hazard, as it would mean taking the appliance out of commission.
You or the “responsible person” in your organisation will take personal responsibility that the person that you deem to be the “competent person” that carries out the testing, is in fact competent in every aspect of the inspection and testing.

If an accident happens with an appliance that was not tested properly, then the “responsible person” will be liable along with the person that did the inspection and testing.
The person deemed by you to be competent to inspect & test your appliances for electrical safety, (the competent person) will also take personal responsibility for the correctness of the testing and will also be
liable if there is an accident with an appliance that was not fully and properly tested.
All of our test technicians are trained to meet the current recommendations.
This is our core business and we firmly believe that we can carry out the Portable Appliance Testing at your premises in the most cost-effective manner, whilst our experience and unique systems minimise the disruption to you and your staff.

We have long-term contracts and payment options to reduce your costs. Remove any redundant equipment or let us know if you have equipment not to be tested. If you would like a free quote or to order any of our services contact us

We’re electrical professionals who only use certified equipment for electrical safety testing and tagging. Our technicians have the latest industry knowledge, ensuring you meet the correct safety Standards and receive the best service. We provide a reminder service for different appliances and environments, so you won’t lose track of your electrical tag and testing compliance requirements. We always follow electrical safety regulations.
our team members are skilled in a number of areas. While we’re on your property, why not enlist a number of our safety testing services? You no longer need to go to a range of companies to make sure your workplace is secure. We have everything you need in one team – get electrical test tags for each piece of equipment in your business and any other safety testing services you require.
Our electrical test and tag services are provided by professionals who care about safety. Our technicians offer electrical testing services to clients across New Zealand. Our comprehensive safety testing services and fully mobile operation make us your go-to safety testing team. You can take advantage of our data management services and keep an accurate record of your testing results. With BWoF Ltd Test & Tag you can be sure that your equipment and appliances are in working order.