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LEGAL REQUIREMENTS -
AUSTRALIA
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The
Occupational Health & Safety Regulations (WORKCOVER) places the duty of
care on employers and employees, this i ncludes
self-employed, to ensure the safety of everybody at work. They require that,
as may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as
to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, such danger. This includes
electrical equipment.
Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000 -
Section 8
Occupational Health & Safety Regulation 2001
- Section 3
Occupational Health & Safety Regulation 2001
- Section 64
AS/NZS3760 “INSERVICE SAFETY INSPECTION & TESTING
OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT“. This Standard gives the require-
ment for testing. Others such as AS3012
Construction &
Demolition Sites etc have specific industry
requirements,
however most will require testing to the level of AS/NZS3760
WHO SHOULD COMPLY? - In short every enterprise eg schools, government
departments, factories, workshops, hotels, motels, restaurants, engineering
and construction companies, offices, health care facilities, trades people
etc.
COMPLIANCE WITH AS/NZS3760 IS THE SENSIBLE LOW RISK SAFE OPTION. You
could save money in the short term by not complying – just as not paying for
insurance saves money, but usually is not considered a smart option.
TO MEET YOUR OBLIGATIONS under the above regulations and Standards
you have to be able to legally prove that you have taken all practical
steps. Inspecting and testing equipment in compliance with
AS/NZS3760:2001
and soon to be released
AS/NZS3760:2003
presently is the simplest cost effective option to ensure safety and legal
protection without risking prosecution.
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AS/NZS3760 "In-Service Safety Inspection & Testing of
Electrical Equipment |
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Extract from Foreword of
AS/NZS3760:2003
"In-service testing is necessary for the safety of persons using the
equipment and for the proper discharge of the obligations of employers and
employees, as listed in legislation covering occupation health and safety
matters. This Standard specifies in-service safety inspection and testing
protocols and criteria that satisfy these obligations and provides a cost
effective approach to safety without jeopardising personnel safety or
involving excessive equipment downtime." This Standard started life back in 1990 as AS3760 and was revised and
adopted by New Zealand in 1996 and became AS/NZS3760. It was again reviewed
and a 2000 edition was published.
Early in 2001 a further edition was published which had a number of
significant changes in it.
This Standard has recently undergone considerable work
and has continued to mature as can be seen from the newly (soon) released
version 2003. This version has considerable changes including the
ability to have customised solutions based on risk assessment,
the "Responsible
Person" has been defined and the qualifications of a "Competent Person"
clarified and the environments for frequency of inspection and testing has
been revised to be more usage based, rather than specific site based.
Other Standards such as 3012 etc are also appropriate. It is however
AS/NZS3760 which has the greatest general knowledge on testing. At a recent
meeting involving top officials of appropriate departments etc a company
representative was trying to find "an out" for their organisation and a
senior OSH person suggested that whilst testing is not compulsory
maintaining safety is and unless you have complied with AS/NZS3760 as a
minimum then OSH would not consider you have "taken all reasonable steps"
and would likely use non-compliance with AS/NZS3760 as the basis for
prosecution should the need arise.
To summarise all workplaces must maintain safety and
this includes electrical safety – many dangers can be seen electricity
cannot – this makes it potentially more dangerous |
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Click here
for
Testing Time Frames TABLE 2– AS/NZ3760:
2001 |
Click here
for
Testing Time FramesTABLE 4– AS/NZ3760:
2003 |
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