Someone got a shock from a tool or appliance at work?
If they're hurt, call 000, and don't touch them while they could still be in contact with the power. Switch off at the wall or the main switch if it's safe, then pull the item out of use and set it aside. If the tingle came from a tap or fixed equipment rather than something plugged in, that's a wiring fault for a licensed electrician.
How often, by SafeWork NSW's guidance
| Inspect and test | Typical Sydney examples | |
|---|---|---|
| Hostile operating environments | Generally every 12 months | Cafe and restaurant kitchens, wet or dusty areas, outdoor work |
| Manufacturing, workshops and commercial cleaning gear | At least every six months | Factory floors, mechanical workshops, cleaning contractors |
| Construction and demolition sites | At least every three months, or sooner if the site's risk assessment says so | Building sites in growth areas such as Box Hill and Oran Park Town |
| Equipment you hire out | At the start of each hire, and tested every three months | Tool and equipment hire businesses |
What else SafeWork NSW expects
What counts as hostile
Anywhere equipment meets moisture, heat, vibration, mechanical damage, corrosive chemicals or dust. SafeWork NSW's own examples include wet or dusty areas, outdoors, commercial kitchens and manufacturing.
Extra tests between rounds
Test after a repair or service that could affect electrical safety, before first use if the item is second-hand, and any time there's no record of a previous test.
The record
It must show the tester's name, the test date, the outcome and the next test date. A tag on the item can be the record, kept until the next test or until the item leaves the workplace. SafeWork NSW points to AS/NZS 3760:2010 for in-service testing, and AS/NZS 3012:2010 for building sites.
Who can test
A competent person. SafeWork NSW's examples include a licensed or registered electrician, and someone who has completed a structured course in pass-fail portable appliance testing and visual inspection.
RCDs as well as leads
A business in control of a workplace must take all reasonable steps to have its RCDs tested regularly by a competent person, and keep records for any test beyond the daily push-button one.
Where a quiet office fits
A quiet office doesn't match SafeWork NSW's description of a hostile environment, and the fact sheet we used doesn't give an interval for it. Ask the tester to suggest a schedule for your site and explain the reasoning.
Test and tag also stops at the plug. Under the NSW definition, items plugged into a power point aren't part of the electrical installation, so the building's wiring, power points and switchboard are a separate check.
Before you book in Sydney
- Which of our gear counts as a hostile environment under SafeWork NSW's guidance?
- Will you test our RCDs on the same visit and record the results?
- What goes on each tag, and do we also get a written register?
- If testing finds a faulty power point or circuit, can you repair it then and there?
- What's your NSW licence number?
What we'd tell a Sydney business owner
Work out which of your gear sits in a hostile environment first, because that sets the interval. Then book an electrician who tests and tags, so a damaged power point found on the day can be repaired on the spot, with a CCEW for that repair. Keep the record somewhere you'll find it if anyone ever asks for 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.