When you think of fire safety, you often think of smoke alarms, extinguishers, and other active forms of fire protection, but there are some aspects of fire safety that often go unnoticed.
One of which is the regular testing and tagging of electrical equipment.
Faulty, worn or damaged electrical equipment is one of the most common causes of fires, and some of the most easily preventable if inspected and tested at the correct intervals.
As a minimum, an electrical test & tag needs to be done annually, although it can be as frequent as quarterly or even monthly depending on the nature of your workplace.
Fire safety should be proactive, not reactive. Rather than stopping a fire once it’s started, fires should be stopped before they start. A crucial part of this is testing & tagging of electrical equipment to ensure it is safe and up to standard.
An electrical test & tag dramatically reduces the risk of electrical fires, while compliant fire safety systems and equipment protect people and property should a fire ever occur.
But as business manager, routine testing & tagging can be hard to keep track of if you’re not careful, which is why having a professional carry out the work is crucial to staying compliant.
If you are a business or employer (or other PCBU) you must make sure that regular inspections and testing is completed by a competent person for electrical equipment that:
- Is supplied with electricity through an electrical socket outlet (‘plug in’ equipment), and
- Is used in an environment in which its normal use exposes the equipment to operating conditions that are likely to result in damage to the equipment or a reduction in its expected life span, eg. excessive moisture, heat, vibration, mechanical damage, corrosive chemicals or dust.
If you don’t maintain your electrical equipment, you are leaving property exposed to fire hazards, people exposed to risk of electric shock and injury, as well as being liable for council fines for noncompliance. You can see more details on NSW testing & tagging requirements here: Electrical inspection and testing | SafeWork NSW
As an industry leader in testing & tagging, Betta Fire Protection have been conducting electrical tests across residential, commercial and industrial properties in Sydney for over 40 years.
In accordance with SafeWork NSW, our electrical testing & tagging is carried out by our competent fire safety practitioners to identify any damage or wear and detect electrical faults.
The checks ensure that all the insulation in an appliance is still sound and that no electricity passes through to the device’s body or where the user may contact it.
If the insulation does break down, the test ensures any stray voltage is sent to the earth pin, not the user, therefore preventing electric shock.
Testing is conducted by visually assessing the device for damage then checking the circuit and measuring the resistance. After the test, we attached a tag to the appliance and record an entry into an asset log.
As is legally required, this tag displays:
- the name of the person who carried out the testing
- the date of the testing
- the outcome of the testing
- the date on which the next testing must be carried out
You can read more about the electrical test & tag process here: Electrical inspection and testing | SafeWork NSW
Maintaining your essential fire systems is crucial to protecting people and property. Having carried out inspections and testing across Sydney for over 40 years, we understand the importance of keeping accurate records and asset management.
Here at Betta Fire Protection, we can do it all. Combining your electrical test & tag service with the maintenance of your fire systems saves you time and hassle. To make fire safety simple, we offer dedicated fire safety service packages that can incorporate your electrical testing & tagging at the necessary intervals.
Whatever your safety and compliance needs, we’ve got you covered. Contact our fire safety experts today by calling (02) 8669 9100.