To Ensure Risks Associated with Portable Electrical Equipment and Residual Current Devices

/ health & safety
electrical inspection and testing requirements

1PURPOSE

To ensure risks associated with portable electrical equipment and residual current devices are controlled so far as reasonably practicable.

2SCOPE

This procedure applies to:

• all staff and students at all of the University of Melbourne's campuses and each of the University's controlled entities; and
• all portable electrical equipment, plant and residual current devices under the management and control of the University of Melbourne.

The procedure applies to all buildings, structures, plant and equipment under the management and control of the University.

3DEFINITIONS

Authorising Officer:

An employee with delegated authority to authorise the purchase of goods, equipment and supplies.

Competent person:

A person who has acquired through training, qualifications or experience or a combination of these, the knowledge and skills that enable that person to perform a specified task.

For the purpose of this procedure a competent person must include a person competent to carry out testing and tagging who has satisfactorily completed a competency-assessed training course on testing and tagging.

Hazard:

A source or a situation with a potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill-health, damage to property, damage to the environment, or a combination of these.

Hostile environment:

One in which the equipment or appliance is normally subject to events or operating conditions likely to result in damage to the equipment or a reduction in its expected life span. This includes, nut is not limited to mechanical damage, exposure to moisture, heat, vibration, corrosive chemicals and dust.

Licensed electrician:

A holder of a current "A Class" Electrician's license issued by Energy Safe Victoria.

Portable electrical equipment:

Equipment that is powered by electricity through plugging into a socket-outlet.

The following are excluded:

• desktop computer, monitor, fax, photocopier, microwave, fridge or freezer;
• equipment with a length more than 50 cm in two dimensions and no carry handles;
• equipment where the mass is greater 18 kg and has no carry handles; and
• equipment mechanically fixed or secured to the floor, wall, ceiling, structure, support or building.

Power Board:

A device having a single means of connection to an electrical supply with one or more outlet facilities (sockets) and does not include double-adaptors. It is referred to as an electrical portable outlet device (EPOD) in AS/NZS 3105.

Residual Current Device (RCD):

A mechanical switching device designed to make, carry and break currents under normal service conditions, and to cause the opening of the contacts when the residual current attains a given value under specified conditions. (AS/NZS 3760).

Commonly referred to as an electrical safety switch.

Risk:

(In relation to any potential injury or harm) The likelihood and consequence of that injury or harm occurring.

Socket-outlet:

An accessory with socket contacts designed to engage with the pins of a plug and having terminals for the connection of cables or cords. (AS/NZS 3112).

Commonly referred to as a power point and less often as a general purpose outlet (GPO).

4PROCEDURE

4.1Pre-purchase and manufacturing of electrical equipment

The Head of School/Divisionmust ensure that prior to the acquisition or manufacturing of electrical equipment the following steps must be completed in accordance with the Health & Safety: Risk management requirements and the Health & Safety: Purchasing requirements. These steps include:

• a completed pre-purchase risk assessment (Pre-purchase checklist); and
• consultation with relevant health and safety representatives and employees where reasonably practicable.

For new portable electrical equipment, that requires testing and tagging, the manager/supervisor must ensure that:

• a tag or sticker is placed on the lead showing the date the item was commissioned; and
• where required, it is entered onto a testing and tagging schedule.

Health & Safety: Electrical commissioning tags for new portable equipment

4.2Portable electrical equipment testing and tagging

The Associate Director, Health & Safety in consultation with health and safety representatives and the Director, Campus Services must conduct a risk assessment based on AS/NZS 3760 and determine the University of Melbourne testing and tagging criteria for portable electrical equipment.

Where all socket-outlets in a building have residual current device protection the following applies:

• portable electrical equipment will not require scheduled testing and tagging in non-hostile environments; and
• portable electrical equipment will require scheduled testing and tagging in hostile environments.

Where no or not all socket-outlets in a building have residual current device protection the following applies:

• portable electrical equipment will require scheduled testing and tagging.

Where testing and tagging is required the Associate Director, Health & Safety or the Director, Campus Services shall make available the Health & Safety: Electrical testing and tagging criteria.

The Associate Director, Campus Services must ensure that an electrical testing and tagging service is available to all University departments and that the service is:

• consistent with the University of Melbourne criteria and AS/NZS 3760; and
• provided by a competent person.

The Head of School/Division must:

• retain overall responsibility for ensuring that portable electrical equipment is in good working order, including testing and tagging; and
• make portable electrical equipment available to the central service for testing and tagging; or
• where they chose to use their own testing and tagging service ensure that it is consistent with the University of Melbourne criteria and AS/NZS 3760.

Where the Head of School/Division uses their own testing and tagging service the Head of School/Division or their delegate must notify the Associate Director, Campus Services in writing.

4.3Residual current devices testing and tagging

The Associate Director, Health & Safety in consultation with health and safety representativesand the Associate Director, Campus Services must conduct a risk assessment based on AS/NZS 3760 and determine the University of Melbourne Testing and Tagging criteria for residual current devices.

Fixed RCD installations must be installed to the requirements of AS/NZS 3000 and accessed by authorised personnel only. The Associate Director Asset Services must ensure that they are tested and tagged by a competent person:

• prior to use (at the time of installation); and
• thereafter as per the University of Melbourne's Testing and Tagging criteria for residual current devices.

For portable RCD equipment the Head of School/Division must ensure that RCDs are tested and tagged by a competent person as per the University of Melbourne's Testing and Tagging criteria for residual current devices.

4.4Double adaptors and power boards

Double adaptors are prohibited for use at the University of Melbourne's campuses and each of the University's controlled entities.

Power boards that comply with AS/NZS 3105 may be used where additional electrical outlets are required. Preference must be given to power boards that provide a separate controlling switch at each outlet.

4.5Extension leads

Where extension leads are used they must comply with AS/NZS 3199 and be positioned to avoid damage. This must include:

• keeping the extension lead away from water;
• where reasonably practicable, running the extension lead off the ground; and
• ensuring the extension lead cannot be damaged by being struck, rubbed against or pinched/bent.

4.6Un-insulated pins

Under certain conditions the use of electrical appliances with un-insulated plug pins may increase the risk of electric shock. Therefore Associate Director, Health & Safety shall provide information and instruction on safe use of electrical appliances. The Head of School/Division or their delegate shall:

• assess the risks associated with continued use of electrical appliances with un-insulated plug pins to determine if any short term actions action are required; and
• plan and prioritise the eventual replacement of uninsulated plugs based on level of risk.

The Associate Director, Campus Services must ensure that identification of un-insulated pins is included in the electrical testing and tagging service.

4.7Faulty/damaged portable electrical equipment

Managers and supervisors must ensure that faulty/damaged portable electrical equipment is tagged out, in accordance with the Health & Safety: Unsafe plant and equipment requirements and where reasonably practicable removed from general access for repair or disposal. Portable electrical equipment that cannot be removed from general access must be made unusable by appropriate methods. For example power cords may be cut off as close as possible to the body of the equipment to prevent its use.

Unless deemed as a competent person staff, students, and any other person are prohibited from removing a tag and/or using equipment that has been tagged out.

The Head of Department/School must ensure that faulty/damaged electrical equipment is inspected and repaired by a competent person in accordance with manufacturer's/supplier's instructions prior to recommissioning.

4.8Faulty/damaged residual current device

Managers and supervisors must ensure that faulty/damaged RCDs are tagged out and made unusable/inaccessible by appropriate methods in accordance with Health & Safety: Unsafe plant and equipment requirements.

The Head of School/Division must ensure that portable RCD equipment is inspected and repaired by a competent person prior to recommissioning.

The Associate Director, Campus Services must ensure that a fixed installation RCD is inspected and repaired by a competent person prior to recommissioning.

Unless carrying out the inspection and repair work no one must remove a tag, access and/or use an RCD that has been tagged out.

4.9Disposal of Portable electrical equipment

The Head of School/Division must ensure portable electrical equipment that has been identified for disposal will be rendered inoperable by suitable means prior to disposal. For example power cords may be cut off as close as possible to the body of the equipment to prevent its use.

5REferences

Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)

Model code of practice. Managing electrical risks in the workplace(Cth)

AS/NZS 3000: Wiring Rules

AS/NZS 3105: Approval and test specification - Electrical portable outlet devices

AS/NZS 3112: Approval and test specification – Plugs and socket-outlets

AS/NZS 3199: Approval and test specification - Cord extension sets

AS/NZS 3760: In service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment

Health & Safety: Unsafe plant and equipment requirements

6Responsibilities

Head of School/Division

Director, Campus Services

Associate Director, Health & Safety

Manager

Supervisor

7Associated documentation

7.1Processes

Nil

7.2Forms

Health & Safety: Electrical commissioning tags for new portable equipment

7.3Guidance

Health & Safety: Electrical testing and tagging criteria

Health & Safety: Electrical equipment in hostile environments

Health & Safety: Standard operating procedures for electrical appliances

Health & Safety: Australian Standards commonly used in purchasing

Safety Bulletin: Electrical testing and tagging

safety.unimelb.edu.auHEALTH & SAFETY – electrical inspection and testing requirements 1

Date: July 2017 Version: 1.1Authorised by: Manager, Health & Safety, Operations Next Review: July 2022

© The University of Melbourne – Uncontrolled when printed.