(1) The Electrical Safety Act 2002 (Qld) states that a person in charge of a business or undertaking (PCBU) must ensure specified electrical equipment is regularly and properly inspected, tested and tagged as safe. (2) This Guideline is a supporting document to the UQ Electrical Safety Procedure. It is for the purposes of: (3) Only a person deemed as competent (see Definitions in the Appendix) can undertake testing and tagging of specified electrical equipment. (4) The following competencies are required to inspect, test and tag electrical equipment: (5) The definition of specified electrical equipment as defined by the (Electrical Safety Regulation 2013) varies for different work environments. Refer to the Table 1 in the Appendix. (6) International electrical outlet/plug adaptors must not be used on UQ sites in spaces requiring testing and tagging. Equipment must be inspected, modified, and certified (where required) to suit Australian standards and to confirm equipment is deemed safe for use. Other considerations can be found in the Safe Procurement and Acquisition of Plant and Equipment Guideline (Section 4). (7) Power boards are permitted under the following conditions: (8) Extension leads may be used under the following conditions: (9) There are additional test requirements mandated for electrical equipment commonly used in diagnostics and patient treatment or therapy. The test regime for such equipment is much more rigorous than for other items with additional tests being prescribed. (10) Details of these additional requirements are set out in: (11) RCD testing MUST be maintained in accordance with the prescribed relevant sections of AS/NZS 3760:2022 In-service Safety Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment and RCDs. For environments where Electrical Infrastructure was installed prior to 1992, the use of portable RCDs must be considered as some circuits may not be protected by a fixed RCD. (12) The testing of portable RCDs is to be arranged by the person in control of the equipment, using inducted external service providers or qualified and competent in-house resources. (13) Organisational Units are responsible for ensuring tests are performed and results recorded. (14) Fixed RCDs must also be functionally tested at prescribed intervals. Property and Facilities Division (P&F) will establish a program and co-ordinate resources to ensure compliance with this requirement. (15) All fixed RCD testing must be carried out by P&F staff or by external service providers endorsed and coordinated by P&F under a contractual arrangement. (16) Heads of Organisational Units must ensure: (17) Supervisors must ensure that in their area of responsibility: (18) Staff and postgraduate students must: (19) The Health, Safety and Wellness Division must: (20) The Property and Facilities Division (P&F) must: (21) See linked Table 1 - Intervals for testing specified electrical equipment.Electrical Testing and Tagging Guideline
Section 1 - Purpose and Scope
Electrical Competency
Top of PageSection 2 - Specified Electrical Equipment
Outlet Adaptors
Power Boards
Extension Leads
Electrical Medical Equipment
Residual Current Devices (RCDs)
Portable RCDs
Fixed RCDs
Section 3 - Responsibilities
Heads of Organisational Units
Supervisors
Staff and Postgraduate Students
Health, Safety and Wellness Division
Property and Facilities Division
Top of PageSection 4 - Appendix
Definitions
Term
Definition
Competent Person
A person who has the knowledge and skill to inspect and test electrical equipment. Knowledge and skill can be obtained through training, qualifications, experience, or a combination of these.
Electrical Equipment
Any apparatus, appliance, cable, conductor fitting insulator, material, meter, or wire that:
(a) is used for controlling, generating, supplying, transforming, or transmitting electricity at a voltage greater than extra low voltage; or
(b) is operated by electricity at a voltage greater than extra-low voltage; or
(c) is part of an electrical installation located in an area in which the atmosphere presents a risk to health and safety fire or explosion; or
(d) is, or is part of, a cathodic protection system.
Specified Electrical Equipment can include items for example power boards, extension cords, handheld electrical tools such as grinders and are dependent on the environment in which they are used. Refer to the Electrical Safety Regulation 2013 for details
Stationary Equipment
Equipment having a mass exceeding 18 kg and/or are infrequently moved.
Hirer
The person or business that offers the equipment for the or hire or lease.
Hostile Environment
One that the equipment or appliance is normally subject to events or operating conditions likely to result in damage to the equipment or a reduction in its expected life span. This includes, but is not limited to, mechanical damage, exposure to moisture, heat, vibration, corrosive chemicals, and dust.
Manufacturing Work
Assembly, disassembly, fabrication, installation, maintenance, manufacturing, refurbishment, or repair, but does not include amusement work, construction work or rural industry work plant and equipment workshops.
Office Work
Includes offices and meeting rooms.
Overcurrent
A current exceeding the rated value of electrical equipment.
Portable Electrical Equipment
Equipment installed with a plug giving it the ability to be relocated or removed without the need of an electrical licence.
RCM Mark
The Regulatory Compliance Mark or RCM is a symbol utilised to show regulatory compliance under the defining standard (AS/NZS 4417.1:2012 & AS/NZS 4417.2:2020 Regulatory compliance mark for electrical and electronic equipment – Use of the mark).
See linked image: RCM Mark (Regulatory compliance mark for electrical and electronic equipment)
Residual Current Devices (RCD)
A device intended to isolate electrical supply to protected circuits, socket outlets or electrical equipment in the event of a current flow to earth that exceeds a predetermined value. The RCD may be a fixed RCD or a portable RCD.
Rural Industry Work
Includes the cultivation of any agricultural crop or product, rearing and management of farm animals (livestock), clearing, fencing, trenching, draining or otherwise preparing land. It also includes construction or manufacturing work in a rural environment (repairing farm and making machinery, building of sheds)
Safety Switch
Residual Current Device (RCD)
Service Work
Not covered by another ‘work’. Includes cleaning, cooking, providing a health service at a health facility, teaching, childcare in a childcare centre, retail operations (teaching and learning environments including computer laboratory, libraries, teaching spaces).
Socket Residual Current Device (SRCD)
A fixed socket-outlet with either an integrated RCD; or a separate RCD intended to be associated with the socket-outlet.
Test and Tag
The process of a certified, competent person testing electrical equipment to detect damage, wear or other conditions that may make it unsafe. The item is tagged with an inspection tag (including retest date) if it complies with the test specifications or tagged out of service if defects are detected.
Intervals for Testing Specified Electrical Equipment
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