Gear that sat in floodwater comes out of use
Queensland's regulation says a business must disconnect unsafe electrical equipment and keep it off until it's repaired or tested and found safe, or replaced. After a flood, treat every lead, power board, tool and appliance that got wet as unsafe until it's been tested. If someone gets a shock, call 000, and don't touch them while they may still be in contact with the power.
How often, by type of work
| Inspect and test at least | Or, instead | |
|---|---|---|
| Office work (gear that gets moved, like power boards and leads) | Once every 5 years | Plug it into a safety switch |
| Service work (shops, cafes, motels, clinics, child care) | Once every year | Plug it into a safety switch |
| Manufacturing work (workshops, fabrication, food processing) | Yearly if double insulated, every 6 months if not | No alternative: it must also run through a safety switch |
| Construction work | Equipment must comply with AS/NZS 3012 | Tags must show the reinspection date and who tested it |
| Hiring gear out | Before each hire, and tagged every 6 months | A fixed safety switch replaces the pre-hire test, not the 6-monthly one |
Why this matters in Townsville
Building sites in the growth corridors
The city is growing west and north, with the 5,000-lot North Shore Estate and Elliot Springs, which is expected to house 26,000 people by 2057. Every one of those sites runs on construction gear covered by AS/NZS 3012.
The wet season
Most rain falls between November and April. In the 2019 monsoon flood, 3,299 residential properties were affected by floodwater, and gear kept in ground-level sheds, garages and workshops is what gets wet first.
Cyclone clean-ups
Cyclone Kirrily left nearly 34,000 homes and buildings without power in January 2024. If your business hires out tools and leads for clean-ups like that, hired gear has its own testing rules, below.
A shock that might be the supply
If a tingle seems to come from the building rather than one item, Ergon takes shock reports on 13 16 70, 24 hours a day.
Building sites: the AS/NZS 3012 rule
On construction work, all electrical equipment has to comply with AS/NZS 3012, the standard for construction and demolition sites. Gear listed in clause 3.1 of that standard, which includes construction wiring, inverters, RCDs, switchboards and transportable structures, can't wear a tag showing a test date unless it's new, or a competent person has tested it and found it compliant.
That tag must also show the date it's next due and the tester's name or a licence number. Whoever manages the site is responsible for making sure the temporary construction wiring complies too.
Hire businesses
If you hire out electrical gear, each item needs testing by a competent person before every hire, unless it has a safety switch that can't be disconnected while it runs. Separately, every item has to be inspected, tested and tagged at least once every 6 months, with the tag showing when it's next due, and you must keep the test records for at least 5 years. The 6-monthly tagging doesn't apply to a fridge, TV or computer hired out for use in someone's home.
What the tag should tell you
A pass tag must be durable and show either the test date or the date it's due again, plus who did it: a name, a company name or a licence number. Anything that fails gets a tag warning people not to use it and comes out of service straight away. Only new gear, or gear the tester has actually checked, can carry a pass tag.
The regulation asks for a competent person, meaning someone with the training, qualifications or experience to do the task. Faults found in the building's power points or wiring are licensed electrical work, which is why we'd pick an electrician who does both.
What we'd do for a Townsville business
Work out which kind of work you do first, because that sets the interval. If you run a building site or hire gear out, use a tester who knows AS/NZS 3012 or the hire rules, and keep every record in one folder. And before each wet season, move leads and tools off the floor of any shed or workshop that's flooded before.
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.