The Australian Government specifies a wide range of electrical occupational health and safety standards to which commercial and industrial enterprises must adhere.
These mandates are in place to maintain a workplace's electrical safety standards and ensure that optimal measures are undertaken to guarantee the well-being of staff, building occupants, the building itself and surrounding properties.
One of these mandates is that all businesses have their central electrics, electrical tools, and utilities regularly tested for performance and tagged by a registered technician.
The frequency of these tests can depend on the type of industry your business operates within.
Below, we will discus show often different industries should book electrical testing, why it is important, and why Kenner Electrics can provide electrical safety inspections by a registered electrician, East Melbourne and surrounding areas.
Keeping up to code with electrical safety inspections
Depending on the industry your business operates in, you will be required under government legislation to have electrical components, utilities and tools tested within a regularly scheduled time frame.
These approximate time frames include but are not limited to:
● Production factories and warehouses: every six-months
● Education facilities, healthcare providers,laboratories and offices: annually
● Secure environments (e.g. a server room): every five-years
If you are unsure about what industry your business falls under, you can call Work Safe Australia, or for an electrician East Melbourne, contact Kenner Electrics at (03) 9996 0663.
The importance of electrical inspections for businesses
There are many reasons why the Australian Government imposes electrical safety inspections on Australian companies.
These laws are designed to ensure all Australians work in safe conditions by reducing or nullifying the risk of electrocution and fire hazards from faulty electrical appliances and degraded infrastructure.
While OH&S standards have improved significantly over the last few decades, people still suffer severe injuries or have fatal accidents due to electrical faults each year, with 12 incidents recorded in Australia and New Zealand between 2018 and 2019.
There is also the potential for faulty electrical utilities and electrical systems to pose a significant fire danger to commercial property, which also puts the surrounding businesses and properties at risk.
Regular inspections help identify potential electrical hazards, ensuring that all electrical devices and electrical equipment tested meet safety standards.
As you can see, the requirements in place enforcing regular electrical inspections on Australian businesses are not just bureaucracy and red tape; these standards are in place to save property and protect human life by addressing electrical hazards effectively.
What is involved in a test and tag?
The best part about booking your business in for a test and tag with a registered electrical testing firm, like Kenner Electrics, is that you and your staff needn't lift a finger.
An electrical inspector needs to have a licence in Australia, and testing and tagging can only be performed by one of these registered and approved electricians or technicians.
During a test and tag, a technician will inspect and test all relevant electrical items, tools and utilities, approve or reject them as compliant or faulty, and add an approved tag stating the time and date of testing and a due date for future testing.
Examples of common items that are tested include, but are not limited to:
● PC, laptops and tablets
● Power packs and charging devices
● Heavy electrical machinery
● Power cables, including extension cables
● Kitchen appliances
● Electric vehicles, like forklifts
● Power tools and more
Though different industries are kept to different standards, main electrical points and utilities will also be tested, including:
● Power outlets
● Three-phase power outlets
● Lighting rigs
● Switches
● Electrical fire safety utilities
● Electrical safety equipment and more
All electrical safety inspectors are well-trained in inspecting, recognising and isolating potentially faulty electrical utilities and items.
However, you can take steps to improve your business's electrical safety standards between mandatory electrical inspections.
Electrical maintenance checkups
Attention: Before we discuss steps you can take for better electrical safety in your business, we must state that under no circumstance should an employee in a leadership role or otherwise attempt to repair or maintain electrical equipment or utilities.
A registered, qualified electrical tradesperson must conduct all electrical work in Australia. Most workplaces have a scheduled safety inspection routine, particularly in industrial settings.
Individuals without any knowledge of electrical safety may not recognise potential hazards, so it is essential to make a checklist and add it to your regularly scheduled safety inspection protocols.
Ensure that you state that these are visual checks; if faults are isolated, the person performing the inspection must take note and contact the relevant maintenance or repair authority.
During your checkups, it is suggested that safety officers or staff on duty check these simple electrical safety points:
● Check power points and cables for cracks, wear and tear and exposed cables
● Electrical panels
● Cords, plugs and connection points
● Batteries, especially on large utilities, such as electric scissor lifts and forktrucks
● Wiring terminals
● Electrical equipment regularly subject to vibrations
● Conduit and electrical cable connectors
There are many other miscellaneous electrical components unique to certain industries, and due diligence must be taken when creating a checklist for your business.
Electrical safety electrician Melbourne
If you require a registered, expert electrician, Melbourne, and surrounding suburbs, for routine business electrical safety inspections, then contact Kenner Electrics today. Our team of highly-trained technicians offer expert solutions and leave no stone unturned when certifying your business's electrical safety status.
For more information, call our friendly help desk via phone or email, or send your inquiry via our online contact form, and we can reach out to you at a preferred time.
