What test and tag is, and why it's required
Test and tag is the process of inspecting electrical equipment used in workplaces to make sure it's still safe. The Australian standard AS/NZS 3760 sets the procedure: a visual inspection, a continuity check, an insulation-resistance check, then a tag bearing the inspection date, the next-due date, and the inspector's identifier.
The reason it's required is duty-of-care under workplace health and safety law. The business operating the workplace is responsible for ensuring every appliance their staff use is safe. Test and tag puts that obligation on a documented, repeatable schedule — you've got proof the equipment was checked, and a register that an insurer or auditor can read.
Frequency depends on environment
Construction-site tools and leads are 3-monthly. Office gear in a low-risk environment can stretch to 12-monthly or longer. Hire equipment is tested before every hire-out. Educational settings, kitchens and workshops sit in between. We'll work through your asset list at the first visit, set the right interval against the standard, and diary the next inspection so it doesn't slip.
What we test
Anything with a flexible cord and plug going into a 240-volt socket — kettles, microwaves, computers and monitors, printers, power leads and double-adaptors, kitchen appliances, vacuum cleaners, power tools, heaters, fans, extension leads, RCD-protected portable safety switches, hairdressing equipment, gym gear. Hard-wired appliances and three-phase equipment also fall under the standard but the test process is different and we'll specify which procedure applies.
The asset register you keep
After every visit you receive a digital asset register showing every item tested, the test results, pass or fail outcome, the asset's location, the next test date and the inspector ID. The register is yours — not ours — and it satisfies the documentation expectations of WorkSafe, your insurer and any audit. Lost or damaged tags can be re-issued from the register without re-testing the appliance, provided it's still inside its tested interval. Failed items are pulled from service and tagged out immediately so there's no ambiguity about what is and isn't safe to use.