Portable Appliance Testing

The rules regarding electrical testing and tagging of equipment changed in 2006. As a consequence, regular PAT testing will be no longer carried out in the School of Physics.

These revised rules say that the need for testing should be determined by the environment in which your equipment is used.

If you do not use equipment for construction, or in a hostile operating environment, then life is much simpler than previously:

• You no longer need to regularly test and tag existing equipment.
• You do not need to tag new equipment.
• You do not need to keep records of equipment tests.

Routine visual inspections are encouraged. Replace or repair damaged equipment. When you get something new, check for damage.

If you use equipment for construction work, such as portable power tools and their extension cords, or in a hostile operating environment, then regular testing and tagging is required - generally every 12 months (see Table 4 AS3760).

The regulation defines a hostile operating environment as meaning:

an operating environment at a place of work where an electrical article is in its normal use subjected to operating conditions that are likely to result in damage to the article, and, for example, includes an operating environment that may:

• cause mechanical damage to the article, or
• expose the article to moisture, heat, vibration, corrosive substances or dust that is likely to result in damage to the article.

Electrical equipment that has been serviced or repaired should be tested before being re-introduced into service. A “repaired” label will be required. There is a new Australian Standard for this (AS5762).

WorkCover recommends a risk assessment be undertaken for equipment used in a non-hostile operating environment. Electrical safety would probably best be considered as one part of your overall workplace risk assessment practice, rather than as individual risk assessments for each piece of equipment.

References:

• Occupational Health and Safety Amendment (Electrical Equipment) Regulation 2006
• WorkCover Frequently Asked Questions - Testing and Tagging
• WorkCover Electrical Equipment Risk Assessment
• Australian Standard AS3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment
• Australian Standard AS5762 In-service safety inspection and testing – Repaired electrical equipment

For those who continue to PAT test:

• PAT TESTED labels - cheap, easy and neat. Print from your own printer on:
  64.5 mm x 25.4 mm labels (30 per page) or
  64.0 mm x 24.3 mm labels (33 per page)

  Tested 30 and 33 labels per page
  Tagged only (for new equipment) 30 and 33 labels per page
  Alter the details on the tag to suit.

• Obsolete Portable Appliance Testing Program (pdf)