If your business uses electrical equipment and you haven’t organised a test and tag inspection this financial year, you may be closer to a compliance gap — and a potential liability — than you realise. Now’s a great time to organise your electrical test tagging.
End of financial year is more than a time for reviewing budgets and chasing invoices. For business owners across the Fleurieu Peninsula, it is also one of the most practical moments in the calendar to audit your workplace obligations — and electrical safety compliance sits firmly at the top of that list. Test and tag inspections are not optional for most South Australian businesses. They are a legal requirement, and the end of financial year is the ideal prompt to make sure your records are current, your equipment is safe, and your business is protected.
Leanne and Glenn from BCS Electrical can carrying out electrical test tagging at your business, or in our office.
What Is Test and Tag?
Test and tag refers to the process of inspecting, electrically testing, and labelling in-service electrical equipment in accordance with Australian Standard AS/NZS 3760. The process involves a licensed or competent tester examining each piece of portable electrical equipment — from power tools and extension leads to appliances and RCDs — checking for visible damage and then running a series of electrical tests to verify the equipment is safe for continued use.
Once an item passes inspection, it is fitted with a tag displaying the date of testing, the date the next test is due, and the tester’s identification details. Items that fail are removed from service immediately. The tag is not a formality — it is a dated record of compliance that can be called upon in the event of a workplace incident, an insurance claim, or a SafeWork SA audit.
BCS Electrical can carry out test tagging at your premises, or ours.
How often is test tagging required?
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) and the associated regulations, businesses and employers have a duty of care to provide a safe working environment. This extends to ensuring that all electrical equipment in use on the premises is maintained in a safe condition.
AS/NZS 3760 outlines specific testing intervals depending on the environment in which equipment is used. Testing frequency is not one-size-fits-all. Equipment used on construction sites or in harsh environments requires far more frequent inspection than equipment in a standard office setting. The key categories include:
Construction and demolition environments — testing is required every three months for items such as power tools and extension leads. Environments that are not construction sites but where equipment is subject to flexing, movement, or physical stress — such as workshops, trade businesses, and hospitality venues — generally require testing every six to twelve months. Low-risk office environments, where equipment is rarely moved and used under controlled conditions, typically require testing every five years for stationary equipment and annually or every two years for equipment that is moved regularly.
For businesses in Victor Harbor, Goolwa, Port Elliot, Encounter Bay, Strathalbyn, Yankalilla, Normanville, Mount Compass, Middleton, and Hindmarsh Island, the same national standards apply. Whether you operate a small retail shop in the main street, a hospitality venue near the foreshore, a trade workshop, or a community facility, your electrical equipment needs to meet these requirements.
CLICK HERE to read more about the Safework SA rules on electrical test tagging.
Why get test tagging done now?
The end of financial year creates a natural administrative checkpoint for businesses. It is a time when records are being reviewed, expenses are being reconciled, and forward planning is on the agenda. Scheduling test and tag at this point of the year makes practical sense for several reasons.
First, it allows you to capture the cost of compliance as an operating expense within the current financial year. Electrical safety maintenance is a legitimate business expense, and organising testing before 30 June means the cost falls in the right period for your accounts.
Second, EOFY is often when businesses take stock of equipment — retiring old assets, purchasing new ones, and reviewing what is currently in use. A test and tag inspection fits naturally into this process. Any equipment that is failing, damaged, or approaching the end of its safe service life can be identified and taken out of use before it becomes a liability.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, failing to maintain test and tag records exposes your business to real risk. If a workplace incident involving electrical equipment were to occur and your records showed that testing was overdue or had never been completed, the implications for your insurance coverage, your legal obligations, and the wellbeing of your staff or customers could be significant.
What Happens During Onsite Test Tagging?
When BCS Electrical carries out a test and tag inspection, our licensed electricians come directly to your premises — there is no need to transport equipment or interrupt your operations any more than necessary.
Each piece of electrical equipment is visually inspected first for signs of damage, wear, fraying, or incorrect repairs. It is then connected to a portable appliance tester (PAT), which runs a series of electrical tests including earth continuity, insulation resistance, and polarity checks where applicable. RCDs — the safety switches built into leads and boards — are also tested for correct operation and trip time.
Items that pass are tagged with the current date, the next due date, and the tester’s details. Items that fail are removed from service and clearly identified. At the end of the inspection, you receive a written register of all tested items, their results, and the dates by which re-testing is required. This register is your compliance record and should be kept on file for reference.
BCS Electrical services businesses across the Fleurieu Peninsula, including Victor Harbor, Goolwa, Port Elliot, Encounter Bay, Middleton, Yankalilla, Normanville, Mount Compass, and Hindmarsh Island. Onsite testing means your equipment stays where it is, and your business keeps running.
What Equipment Needs to Be Test Tagged?
The scope of test and tag covers a wide range of equipment. As a general guide, any electrical equipment that is plugged into a socket outlet and is used in a workplace setting falls within the standard’s scope. This includes:
Extension leads and power boards. Portable power tools. Portable appliances such as fans, heaters, kettles, and fridges in workplace kitchens or break rooms. Cleaning equipment including vacuums and floor scrubbers. Audio-visual equipment used in training or meeting rooms. Portable RCDs and safety switches attached to leads.
Fixed equipment — such as items that are hardwired — follows a different set of maintenance requirements and is not covered under AS/NZS 3760. Your BCS Electrical technician can advise on the scope relevant to your specific workplace during the inspection.
Don’t Leave Electrical Compliance to Chance
Electrical safety compliance is not something to defer until there is a problem. By the time a fault becomes visible, the risk has already existed — often for some time. Regular test and tag inspection is about being proactive: identifying faults before they cause harm, maintaining accurate records, and demonstrating to your insurer, your staff, and any relevant authority that your business takes its obligations seriously.
If your test and tag records are overdue, incomplete, or you’re unsure when your equipment was last inspected, the end of financial year is the right moment to address it. BCS Electrical offers onsite test and tag services for businesses across the Fleurieu Peninsula, working around your schedule to minimise disruption.
Contact BCS Electrical today on 8554 3094 to arrange your EOFY test and tag inspection and head into the new financial year with your compliance in order.