While installing new electrical equipments, you are not legally obliged to opt for a testing and tagging session. The supplier/manufacturer will be held responsible for any mishap up to a certain period. However, it is still in your benefit to hire Test and Tag and get all your new appliances checked by them. This will go a long way in ensuring a safe working environment for your employees and also complete peace of mind for you.
What is Testing and Tagging
Testing and tagging is a strategy for minimizing the danger of electrical shock to your employees. Under this process, each piece of equipment used for construction work or those that are deemed to be in hostile condition; are inspected thoroughly by the testing and tagging company for wear and tear and performance. Here, hostile environment refers to a working environment wherein particular electrical equipment is exposed to conditions that are likely to cause mechanical damage. Such conditions include dust, heat, moisture, vibration or exposure to corrosive substances.
Why Hire A Testing and Tagging Service?
Following are some reasons why hiring a test and tag service is important.
Fulfill your Legal Obligations
As a business owner, you are legally obliged as per the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 to ensure an absolutely safe environment for your employees and visitors to your workplace. And as part of the legal proceedings involved, you are required to maintain all records of testing and tagging done on equipments. Such records should indicate name of the technician conducting the test, the time and date of inspection, result and the next date of inspection. In fact, as per Standard AS/NZS 3760 you should maintain all such records for at least seven years. Understandably, such detailed and accurate information can be provided only by a competent testing and tagging company. They have the knowledge, experience and resources required (different testers, barcode scanners, electronic printers etc) required to do the job as per the industry standard and demand. All their testing equipments are calibrated regularly so that you get results that conform to the latest standards.
Take Care of your Insurance
Since it is obligatory by law for business owners to conform to a standard workplace safety norm, many insurance providers will insist on checking your documents in this regard. You can lose your insurance cover if you cannot show that proper testing and tagging has been done on all equipments, including new installations. Moreover, when you work with equipments that have been tested and tagged OK for performance, you substantially reduce chances of workplace accidents. This means paying less compensation and hence monetary gain for you in the long run.
Hire a licensed gas fitter to ensure the companies safety from gas leaks.