Electrical Tagging

[echnidna]

ok how do you tag a cordless jug?
Do you wrap it around the handle? thereby creating a safety hazard with the tag

[chrisp]

ok how do you tag a cordless jug?

Stick the tag to the jug "postage stamp" style in a non intrusive spot.

[Cobberdog]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum but this is a subject I'm quite familiar with.

Test & tagging electrical equipment is a significant safety improvement over not doing so. I've seen instances where it's not done properly but it's still usually better than nothing - worrying though if significant defects are overlooked as the tag creates a false sense of security (a bit like ABS in your car....)

Like any safety initiative, it won't be universally applied and it won't always be applied correctly, however most industries are starting to adopt and most tests are good.

As mentioned previously, most electrical faults are clearly visible - no PAT tester required!

Even if you don't test your electrical equipment, let common sense prevail!

Graham

[Gaza]

in nsw its not a six week tafe course i did it 6 hrs at some private company, cost about 1k plus another 1k for my PAT tester.

did you know that the PAT tester has to be recailbrared every 3 months at a cost of $180.00.

i think is safer to test using a PAT tester then have a sparky do a visual inspection.

i cut the ends of leads if it fails, safer for everyone that way.

P.S i dont tag for a living just our own stuff or my mates who pay me by cases of beer.

[soundman]

The electrical testing is not a substitute for the visual inspection.

That is one of the issues that I and quite a few others have with pat testers.

There is a perception that if the item is plugged into the pat tester and it passes it must be safe...nothing could be further from the truth.

Quite a lot of hire companised have pat testers because it is percieved as being faster than manual testing.

Let me tell you that doing the electrical tests is very quick and easy and only a small part of the proper inspection process.....it actulay takes me longer to fill in the tag and the log book.

THE most important part of "In service testing of electrical equipment" is the visual inspection.

Electrical tests will not show up

insulation pulled out of the plug
cuts, burns or scrapes on the insulation
heat damaged cables or plugs
failed strain reliefs
mechanical failures in the case
correct values of fuses
The presence of insulation tape on power cords

genreal compliance of the item with regulations
and a variety of other noncompliances

Think about how long it takes to check every inch of a 30 meter power cord.

cheers

[Cobberdog]

A sound knowledge of AS 3760 is much more important than a PAT tester.

All a PAT tester does is a high voltage insulation check, an earth continuity check and polarity checks. You can easily do these with a multimeter and a Megger. These checks are part of the in service test procedure, so a sparky certainly shouldn't tag anything based on a visual check only.

According to the standard, the test can be conducted by a "competent person" however the interpretation of this is viewed differently across the states (Qld are the most oppressive I believe)

Gaza - where did you get the info that the PAT tester needs a cal check every 3 months? I'm pretty sure that's not correct unless related to site testing and coloured tags? I would be happy to investigate if you can point to the source of your info (I have access to most electrical standards)? May be able to save yourself some cash???

Also, shop around for PAT testers, we bought a few from Rexel in Adelaide last year for a smidge over $600. Did get some discount for quantity though.

[NCArcher]

in nsw its not a six week tafe course i did it 6 hrs at some private company, cost about 1k plus another 1k for my PAT tester.

did you know that the PAT tester has to be recailbrared every 3 months at a cost of $180.00.

i think is safer to test using a PAT tester then have a sparky do a visual inspection.

i cut the ends of leads if it fails, safer for everyone that way.

P.S i dont tag for a living just our own stuff or my mates who pay me by cases of beer.

That pretty much says it all.

[Gaza]

i think that i have been mis understood,

i do both a visual inspection and a PAT test, in most cases the reason an item does not pass its inspection is due to it failing the visual inspection.

I belive that it is safer for an item to be both PAT tested & visual inspected.

We have had sparkys "tag" our gear in the past and that was basicly the sparky apprentice looking and the lead and filling the tag in.

At least when i do my own gear i visual inspect it and PAT test it. i also check things like blades being sharp & guides intact.

If i lead is damage then why leave the plug on the end for some one to use when it is clearly not suitable for use.

[Gaza]

A sound knowledge of AS 3760 is much more important than a PAT tester.

All a PAT tester does is a high voltage insulation check, an earth continuity check and polarity checks. You can easily do these with a multimeter and a Megger. These checks are part of the in service test procedure, so a sparky certainly shouldn't tag anything based on a visual check only.

According to the standard, the test can be conducted by a "competent person" however the interpretation of this is viewed differently across the states (Qld are the most oppressive I believe)

Gaza - where did you get the info that the PAT tester needs a cal check every 3 months? I'm pretty sure that's not correct unless related to site testing and coloured tags? I would be happy to investigate if you can point to the source of your info (I have access to most electrical standards)? May be able to save yourself some cash???

Also, shop around for PAT testers, we bought a few from Rexel in Adelaide last year for a smidge over $600. Did get some discount for quantity though.

One of the major construction companies that we work for asked for the calibration certifacte every three months.

Now that you mention it i will print the AS for a refernce

[Cobberdog]

Do they want a calibration certificate or just want to see it has an electrical test tag (due every three months and colour coded on sites), just like every other piece of electrical equipment used on the site? If so, can you conduct your testing off site?

If they want to see the calibration certificate, can you show them the same one which is valid for a year?

I've never heard of anything electrical (ie test equipment) requiring calibration more often than annually.

Another benefit of the meter / Megger route - they don't plug in, therefore don't require an electrical test tag!

[soundman]

In QLD you are required to have insulation testers calibrated every 3 months.

What is known as a regluatory calibration.

If you own a resistance standard you can do your own regulatory cal.

and have the standard calibrated every 2 years ( depending on your risk assessment)

In QLD the best place to get instruments cal is Rediquip a devision of energex.

cheers

[Cobberdog]

That really is taking things to a whole new level of nanny....

Every three months today. Every 3 minutes tomorrow......

[soundman]

Oh and thats not the half of it.
I have to have my safety harnes tested every three months too and regardles of its condition it has to be condemed 10 years after manufacture.

If my fett are over 1200mm off the ground I either have to have gard rail mid rail and toe board or wear a harnes.

I am suposed to get recertified for recusitation yearly unless I work live or am an observer for someone who works live then it is every 3 months.

cheers

[Keith_W]

I must tell the people of this Post an experiance I had a few years ago.
I was hosting a meeting of some NSW WorkCover Inspectors at my place of work, during a break we went outside for some fresh air, there was some Contractors doing some work on some signs at our Premises and they were using a Cherry Picker to get access to the signs.
One of the Inspectors noticed that a Workman in the Cherry Picker was not wearing a Harness, he called out to the Workman to put a Harness on, the Workman basically said to us to mind our business and he would get on with his job, at that point 12 Inspectors showed him there Badges and reminded the Workman of his need for a Harness. The look on the Workmans face was amazing when confrounted with this, lets say his Dry Cleaner knew how supprised he was.
He then promptly got his Harness and continued his work, bet he never forgets that day.

Regards,
Keith.

[Peter_loats]

THE most important part of "In service testing of electrical equipment" is the visual inspection.

Electrical tests will not show up

insulation pulled out of the plug
cuts, burns or scrapes on the insulation
heat damaged cables or plugs
failed strain reliefs
mechanical failures in the case
correct values of fuses
The presence of insulation tape on power cords

cheers

That's true soundman but where i work, we have to visually go over the cable and take any tape off, then if we dont find and visible damage we run the PAT, but if we do find damage, we still run the PAT, but change the tag to say "FAILED" and then move it to the repair area, put a "out of service" or "DO NOT OPERATE" tag on it with the fault/s, date and who put it there, so while the PAT wont dectect external damage, there should be measures to find the external damage