Your Duty of Care

Under the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000 and Occupational Health & Safety Regulation 2001 employers have certain legal requirements in regards to providing a safe working environment for their employees. These legal requirements include the testing and tagging of portable appliances within the workplace. In doing this we can ensure that all appliances are safe for use. This is achieved by testing and tagging electrical equipment periodically. This can be a very inconvenient and expensive procedure, however there is a more convenient and cost effective solution.
Our organisation, Tag It Safe can save you valuable resources, time and money by ensuring that this crucial safety responsibility is kept up to date. At every due date our highly trained technicians will perform all necessary checks, electronically and visually, to ensure the full safety of your employees and visitors on your premises.

The specific clauses of the OH&S Regulation 2001 that relate to testing and tagging are as follows:

Clause 41 Chapter 4 Part 4.2 Division 3

(1) A controller of premises must ensure that any electrical installation:
• (I) is safe at the time it is made available for use by an employer, or
• (ii) if not safe, is disconnected from the electricity supply, secured and the employer is informed that it is not safe, and
Electrical installations containing live electrical components (such as control panels, switch rooms, switchyards and substations) must be suitably secured to prevent inadvertent access.

Clause 62 Chapter 4 Part 4.3 Division 7

(1) An employer must ensure that any risk of injury from electrocution at a place of work is eliminated or, if elimination is not reasonably practicable, the risk is controlled.
(2) An employer must ensure that:
(a) all electrical installations, electrical articles and associated equipment at a place of work, are safe to use and are regularly inspected, tested and maintained to ensure they remain safe for use and are repaired or replaced if unsafe.
(b) A part is not used in conditions likely to give rise to electrical hazards.
(c) Appropriate work systems are provided to prevent inadvertent energising of parts connected to the electricity supply.
Clause 64 Chapter 4 Part 4.3 Division 8
(1) An employer must ensure that a record is created and filed for all inspections, tests and maintenance carried out on electrical articles and electrical installations required by this Part.
(2) In particular, the following information is to be recorded:
(a) The name of the person, who made the inspection or carried out the test or maintenance,
(b) The date on which, or dates over which, the inspection was made or the test or maintenance was carried out,
(c) The result or outcome of the inspection, test or maintenance,
d) The date by which the next inspection and test must be carried out.

Appliance Testing for Landlords

Any landlord who lets residential accommodation including flats, apartments, houses, holiday homes, boats and caravans as a business activity, is required by law to ensure the electrical appliances they supply as part of the tenancy are regularly PAT tested and safe. This is detailed in the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations act 2001 AS/NZ3760 that states that electrical equipment connected to the mains which is supplied with the accommodation must be safe. These appliances include hobs, washing machines, toasters and kettles, new or second-hand. Landlords therefore need to regularly PAT test and maintain all electrical equipment periodically - as they may become faulty over time.
From a tenant’s perspective, it is essential that a property is checked prior to moving in to ensure that all appliances supplied are in a safe working condition. Records should be available from landlords, detailing the appliances supplied as part of the tenancy agreement. These should include reports of the checks made on those goods. The record should indicate who carried out the PAT Testing and when it was done.
It is strongly advisable to have the PAT testing of equipment completed before the start of each let. It would be good practice to have the equipment checked at regular intervals thereafter. You should obtain and retain PAT testing reports detailing the equipment, the tests carried out and the results.