Test and Tag New Equipment: What Perth Businesses Need to Know
One question comes up constantly: do you need to test and tag new equipment, or is it fine straight out of the box? The short answer is that test and tag new equipment rules are simpler than most people expect. Here are six facts for Perth workplaces.
1. New gear is generally treated as safe to use
Brand-new equipment from a reputable supplier is generally accepted as safe for first use, so you do not usually need to fully test and tag new equipment before plugging it in. It has been manufactured to standard and has not yet had the chance to be damaged, which is what testing looks for.
2. But it still needs a tag
Even where full testing is not required, new items usually need to be identified and entered into your system so the next test date is tracked. In practice most workplaces tag new equipment on arrival, recording that it entered service new, so nothing quietly falls outside the testing cycle.
3. Six things to do when new gear arrives
- Inspect it for transit or handling damage
- Record it in your equipment register
- Tag it so its next test date is tracked
- Check the lead and plug are undamaged
- Confirm it suits the environment it will be used in
- Keep the supplier paperwork and warranty
4. The clock starts from first use
The reason to tag new gear is that the testing interval runs from when it enters service. If you do not test and tag new equipment into the register on arrival, nobody knows when it is next due, and it drifts out of the cycle entirely, which is exactly how compliance gaps appear.
5. Second-hand and hire gear is different
Used, second-hand, hired or repaired equipment is a different matter and generally does need testing before use, because you do not know its history. The relaxed approach to test and tag new equipment applies to genuinely new items, not to something that has already had a life somewhere else.
6. Damaged-on-arrival happens
New does not always mean undamaged. Equipment gets dropped in transit and leads get crushed in packaging. A quick inspection when you test and tag new equipment into the register catches this before someone plugs in a faulty item on the assumption that new automatically means safe.
Match the gear to the environment
A new appliance rated for a dry office may not suit a workshop, a wet area or an outdoor site. Checking that new equipment is appropriate for where it will actually be used is as important as testing it, and it saves buying something twice when it fails early in harsh conditions.
Confirm your own obligations
Rules vary by industry and how equipment is used, so confirm your approach to test and tag new equipment with a competent electrician or against the current standard. What is fine for an office may not satisfy a principal contractor on a site, where untagged gear is often turned away at the gate.
When new equipment causes a fault
If a new item trips the board or causes scorching at an outlet, the problem may be your wiring rather than the appliance. That is when to call an Emergency Electrician Perth, or an after hours electrician near me if it happens outside trading hours, rather than simply returning the item.
Why use a licensed electrician
A licensed electrician can advise on how to handle test and tag new equipment, keep your register accurate, and repair anything found. The state’s Building and Energy sets the broader electrical requirements involved.
Unsure how to test and tag new equipment at your Perth workplace?
ACS Electrical tests, tags and manages your register, and is an Emergency Electrician Perth if a fault appears. Explore our test and tag requirements guide, test and tag intervals guide or commercial electricians service. Call 0419 967 838.
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