A lead is damaged or someone felt a tingle?
Take the item out of use straight away and keep it aside for the electrician. If anyone's hurt, call 000, and don't touch them while they could still be in contact with the power.
What WorkSafe ACT requires
The ACT's Work Health and Safety Regulation makes testing and tagging mandatory for electrical equipment used where conditions may damage it: moisture, heat, vibration, mechanical damage, corrosive chemicals or dust. Think about where your gear actually lives, whether that's a workshop, a kitchen, a van or outdoors.
Testing follows AS 3760:2022, and construction and demolition sites follow AS 3012:2010. WorkSafe ACT's page doesn't set a single interval, so ask the tester which schedule they'd recommend for your site and why.
Afterwards, equipment that passes gets a durable, non-reusable, non-metallic tag or another indicator that does the same job.
Canberra specifics
Who can test
WorkSafe ACT says inspections are done by a licensed electrician or a person formally recognised as competent to do the testing. Access Canberra keeps a public register of licensed electricians you can check.
Repairs are wiring work
Under ACT law, plugging in, swapping a lamp and fitting a fuse of no more than 30 amps aren't electrical wiring work. Repairing a damaged power point or circuit is, and it comes with a certificate of electrical safety lodged within 14 days of testing.
After hail or a leak
The January 2020 hailstorm broke windows and skylights in commercial buildings across Canberra and caused flooding. If water has reached leads, power boards or tools, have them retested before anyone uses them again.
Hiring checks
Access Canberra's advice for hiring any tradie applies here: check the register, ask for a certificate of currency for public liability insurance, and look up the ABN on the Australian Business Register.
Get ready for test day
- List everything you own that plugs in, including gear in vans, sheds and storerooms.
- Put it all where the tester can reach it.
- Pull anything with a cut, crushed or taped lead out of use now, before the visit.
- Note anything that trips the safety switch when it's turned on.
- Agree a quiet time of day, since each item is unplugged for a short while.
Ask before you book
- Are you a licensed electrician, and if not, what's your testing competency?
- Which standard do you test to?
- What does the tag show, and will I get a written record as well?
- If you spot a scorched or loose power point while you're here, can you fix it that day?
- What interval would you suggest for our gear, and why?
Our suggestion for Canberra businesses
Use a licensed electrician for the testing, because the same person can fix a faulty power point on the day and lodge the certificate for it. Ask for a written record as well as the tags, and keep it somewhere the next manager will find it.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.