If you are responsible for electrical equipment at a New Zealand workplace, a test and tag programme is a documented, repeatable way to know what equipment you have, what condition it is in, and what you did about anything that looked wrong. Testing and tagging is one useful way to check that equipment is safe. It is not mandatory. What is legally required is that equipment is electrically safe and maintained in a safe condition, and a programme is the practical way most businesses show they are meeting that duty rather than hoping nothing goes wrong.
This guide sets out the steps in the order a New Zealand PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking) would reasonably take them: scope the register, decide what needs a full test and what only needs a visual check, choose an inspection regime that matches the environment and risk, decide who does the work, record the results, then review. Nothing here is a legal timetable. It is a framework you adapt to your site.
Step 1: Scope the equipment that falls under the programme
The register is the foundation. Without it, scheduling and record-keeping collapse into guesswork. Walk the site and list every item connected to electricity that a worker could reasonably be exposed to: power tools, leads, kitchen appliances, chargers, monitors, extension leads, portable RCDs and multi-boxes. Capture enough detail to identify and schedule each item.
- Asset ID: a unique, stable identifier for each item.
- Description: what the item is, in plain language.
- Location: the room, area or vehicle it lives in.
- Environment: whether it is used indoors, outdoors, in damp areas or on a construction site.
- Owner or custodian: who is responsible for keeping it available for inspection.
- Test and inspection history: when it was last checked and what the result was.
A register that lives only on one person's laptop is fragile. A documented register that a structured asset register service can maintain makes multi-site scheduling far simpler, and it is the difference between a programme and a pile of old tags.
Step 2: Decide what needs a full test and what only needs a visual check
Not every item on the register needs the same treatment. Plugs, cords, tools and covers should be looked at regularly whether or not a formal test happens, because a fault can be invisible — a damaged cord may look perfectly normal at a glance. A documented visual inspection between periodic tests is often enough for low-risk, double-insulated office equipment, while hand-held tools in a harsh environment may justify a full electrical test more often.
The decision should be written down. Note which items get a full test, which get a visual inspection only, and why. That reasoning is what makes the programme defensible, and it is far more useful than copying an interval off a blog and applying it to everything. The legal duty is about equipment being safe, so the controls should follow the real risk, not a generic rule.
Step 3: Choose an inspection regime based on environment and risk
How often you test depends on the nature of the equipment and the workplace. WorkSafe gives a clear example: electrical equipment used on a construction site, outside and in damp conditions, would need more frequent testing than a computer in an office. AS/NZS 3760 is one option a PCBU can choose to follow to demonstrate compliance with testing and tagging. It offers a useful starting point for frequency, but it is a standard, not law, and the numbers below are guidance to help you think, not a legal timetable.
| Environment | Typical equipment | Risk considerations | Suggested approach (guideline only) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office, low-risk | Computers, monitors, desk lamps, chargers | Little movement, dry conditions | Longer test intervals with regular documented visual checks |
| Retail and hospitality | Kettles, microwaves, fridges, POS equipment, vacuums | Wet areas, frequent handling, shared use | Shorter intervals; confirm RCD protection where the conditions call for it |
| Warehouse and manufacturing | Power tools, extension leads, portable appliances | Heavy use, movement, vibration, dust | Shorter intervals and a documented inspection routine |
| Construction and demolition | Hand tools, leads, multi-boxes, temporary supply | Outdoor, damp, harsh handling | Most frequent; refer to AS/NZS 3012 and site-specific requirements |
| Healthcare | Portable appliances, chargers, cleaning equipment | Frequent movement, hygiene demands | Risk-assessed schedule documented per area |
One control that sits alongside testing is RCD protection. It is a separate control, not a substitute. Equipment still needs RCD protection in certain circumstances, such as outside in the damp, whether or not it has been tested and tagged. RCDs themselves should be checked using the test button every day.
Step 4: Decide who does the work — in-house or a provider
It is up to the PCBU to decide whether to test and tag. WorkSafe states that a business can either get the testing equipment and train up a worker, or hire a third party to carry out the testing. Both are legitimate, and the right answer depends on how many items you have, how technical the equipment is, and whether you want to manage the work in-house.
Whichever route you take, one rule applies. Whoever does the work must have the knowledge and skills to do the task correctly. It does not need to be a registered electrical worker, but the person needs to be able to understand the Standards involved. That is the gate — not a job title. Separately, only a registered electrical worker will be able to fix any problems the testing reveals, so build a repair pathway into the programme before you start. It is also worth comparing how different providers operate; a guide on choosing the right test and tag provider covers what to ask.
Step 5: Record the results and keep them accessible
WorkSafe recommends documenting results when equipment is tested or inspected, and keeping those results on site — on paper, a computer or a phone. In practice, a good record shows the asset, the date, what was checked, the outcome, and any action taken. If an item failed, the record should show that it was removed from use and then repaired and tagged by a registered electrical worker, or replaced. A repaired item should carry the proper repair tag.
Records are the part of the programme that pays off during an audit or an incident review, because they let you show what was checked and when. A digital reporting workflow with clear compliance reporting practices keeps this current without drowning anyone in paperwork.
Step 6: Review the programme regularly
Equipment changes, sites change and people change. Set a review point — at least annually, and after any layout change or equipment purchase — to confirm the register is current, the regime still matches the risk, and failures are being resolved. A schedule that alerts you when equipment is due to be tested, checked or re-certified stops the programme quietly lapsing.
A practical set-up checklist
- Equipment register built and kept current
- Each item classified by environment and risk
- Full-test list and visual-inspection list documented
- Inspection intervals set as a guideline and reviewed against AS/NZS 3760
- In-house or provider model chosen, with training or credentials confirmed
- Repair pathway agreed with a registered electrical worker
- Results recorded and viewable on site
- Failure process: remove, isolate, repair or replace
- RCD protection confirmed where the conditions require it
- Review date set and a due-for-testing schedule in place
Common mistakes when setting up a programme
- Treating a standard as law. AS/NZS 3760 is one option; it does not create a legal interval.
- Testing everything on the same schedule. Risk varies, and an office computer is not a construction-site tool.
- Skipping visual checks between tests. A test is a snapshot; daily checks still matter.
- No repair pathway. Finding a fault is useless if nobody is available to repair it correctly.
- Records kept off-site. WorkSafe recommends keeping results on site so they can be viewed when needed.
When to bring in a professional
In-house testing is a real option when you have the equipment, the trained people and the time. A provider is often the more efficient choice when you have many items, multiple sites, three-phase equipment, or no appetite to manage calibration and records yourself. It also helps when you want the programme to survive staff changes. If you would rather not build it from scratch, you can arrange workplace test and tag testing and have the register, schedule and reporting handled together, or request a quote for your site.
