Compliance / AS/NZS 3760
Test and TagBrisbane, Ipswich and the Gold Coast
Direct answer
Test and tag is the in service inspection and electrical testing of portable equipment to AS/NZS 3760, which checks that leads, plugs and appliances are safe to keep using and records the result against each item.
Indigi Power and Cooling carries out test and tag across Brisbane, Ipswich and the Gold Coast, setting the interval by operating environment as the standard requires and maintaining an asset register rather than just applying tags. Often combined with commercial electrical maintenance on the same visit. Call 1800 046 344.
Intervals
How often equipmentneeds testing
This is the question everyone gets wrong, usually by assuming one interval covers the whole site. AS/NZS 3760 sets the interval by the environment the equipment operates in, not by the industry you are in or the type of item.
Construction, demolition and similar sites are three monthly. Factories, workshops, warehouses and places of manufacture, assembly, maintenance or fabrication are typically six monthly. Environments where equipment or its supply cord is subject to flexing or open to abuse generally run twelve monthly. Low risk environments such as offices, where equipment is not moved and not subject to damage, can extend considerably further, with five years commonly applied to equipment that stays put.
That means a single building can legitimately carry several intervals at once: the workshop on six months, the office on a much longer cycle, and hire or site equipment on three. We set it per area and record which rule applies, so the logic survives a change of facilities manager.
What we actually do
Inspection first,instrument second
The visual inspection finds most of the defects. Damaged plugs and sockets, cuts and crush damage in flexible cords, missing strain relief, taped repairs, incorrect plug wiring, cracked housings, blocked ventilation and signs of overheating. An item can pass every electrical test and still be unsafe because the cord is chewed.
The electrical test follows: earth continuity on Class I equipment, insulation resistance or an equivalent leakage test, and polarity where applicable. Each item gets a durable tag showing the test date, the next test date and the tester, and each result is recorded against an asset ID rather than just written on the tag.
Failed items are tagged out and removed from service. Where a repair is simple and the item is worth keeping, such as a replacement plug top, we quote it rather than quietly binning equipment you have paid for.
The register
What you getat the end of a visit
A tag on a lead proves one item was tested. It does not tell you how many items you own, which ones failed, which area is generating repeat failures, or when the next visit is due. That is what an asset register does, and it is the part most test and tag offerings leave out.
Every item is recorded with an asset ID, location, description, test date, result and next due date. You get the register in a format you can actually use, plus a summary showing pass and fail counts by area and any items tagged out. Over successive visits the trend becomes useful: a department failing leads repeatedly usually has a cable management problem, not bad luck.
If you already hold a register we work to it and update it, rather than starting a parallel one that immediately diverges from yours.
Reference
Testing intervalsby environment
The intervals below reflect AS/NZS 3760 and are the ones we apply most often across South East Queensland sites. We confirm the correct interval for each area during the first visit and record which one applies.
| Environment | Typical interval | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Construction, demolition and excavation sites | 3 months | Harsh environment, constant relocation and high mechanical damage risk |
| Hire equipment | Before each hire, tested 3 monthly | Unknown treatment between hires |
| Factories, workshops and manufacturing | 6 months | Equipment moved regularly and exposed to mechanical damage |
| Kitchens, laundries and wet areas | 6 to 12 months | Moisture, heat and frequent handling |
| Equipment with flexed or abused supply cords | 12 months | Cord damage is the dominant failure mode |
| Offices and similar low risk areas | Up to 5 years | Equipment not moved, not subject to damage, low handling |
Coverage
Where we workSouth East Queensland
Test and tag is delivered across South East Queensland, scheduled so sites on the same run share travel.
Brisbane and inner suburbs
Brisbane CBD, Fortitude Valley, Newstead, Woolloongabba, Milton, Tingalpa, Murarrie, Eagle Farm, Northgate, Port of Brisbane
Our Tingalpa workshop sits inside the Australia TradeCoast corridor, so most of the eastern and southern industrial belt is a short run.
Ipswich and the Western Corridor
Ipswich CBD, Booval, Bundamba, Redbank, Goodna, Springfield, Swanbank, Amberley, Rosewood, Willowbank
Manufacturing, logistics and defence support. Growing fast and thinly served by specialist maintenance contractors.
Gold Coast and Yatala
Southport, Bundall, Robina, Varsity Lakes, Burleigh, Nerang, Molendinar, Yatala, Ormeau, Coomera
Salt air and humidity shorten service intervals on coastal plant, particularly condenser coils and outdoor switchgear.
Logan, Redlands and Bayside
Logan Central, Meadowbrook, Crestmead, Slacks Creek, Berrinba, Capalaba, Cleveland, Wynnum, Manly
Warehousing, cold storage and aged care. Sits between our Brisbane and Gold Coast runs, which keeps scheduled visits efficient.
Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast
North Lakes, Brendale, Strathpine, Caboolture, Narangba, Caloundra, Maroochydore, Kawana, Noosa
Run on a scheduled route rather than ad hoc, which keeps travel out of the price. Best suited to quarterly or six monthly cycles.
Toowoomba and the Darling Downs
Toowoomba CBD, Wilsonton, Torrington, Charlton, Oakey, Dalby, Warwick, Gatton
Agricultural processing, transport depots and regional health. Combining trades on one visit is what makes the travel work.
Questions
Test and tagfrequently asked
How often does equipment need to be tested and tagged?
AS/NZS 3760 sets the interval by operating environment. Construction and demolition sites are three monthly. Factories, workshops and places of manufacture are typically six monthly. Equipment with cords subject to flexing or abuse is generally twelve monthly. Low risk office environments where equipment is not moved can extend considerably further, with five years commonly applied. One building can carry several different intervals at once.
Is test and tag a legal requirement in Queensland?
There is no blanket rule requiring every workplace to test and tag everything. Queensland workplaces carry a general duty to ensure electrical equipment is safe, and specific requirements apply in higher risk settings such as construction and demolition. In practice most organisations test and tag because it is the accepted way to demonstrate that duty has been met, and because insurers and head contractors ask for the records.
What is the difference between testing and tagging?
Testing is the inspection and electrical measurement: visual check of the plug, cord and housing, then earth continuity, insulation resistance or leakage, and polarity where applicable. Tagging is the record left on the item showing the test date, next due date and who tested it. The tag is evidence; the test is the actual safety check. A tag with no register behind it proves very little.
Do new items need testing before first use?
New equipment generally does not require in service testing before first use, but it does need to be recorded and entered into the register with its first due date so it does not sit untested for years. We add new items at each visit, which is how registers stay accurate rather than drifting.
What happens to equipment that fails?
It is tagged out and removed from service immediately, and recorded as a failure against its asset ID. Where a repair is simple and worthwhile, such as replacing a damaged plug top or supply lead, we quote it. Where the item is not worth repairing we tell you, rather than leaving a dead appliance in a cupboard for someone to find and plug in.
Can you test and tag outside business hours?
Yes. Testing interrupts whoever is using the equipment, so offices, retail and hospitality are often easier out of hours or in staged areas. We schedule around how the site actually operates and agree the approach before the first visit.
Keep reading
Relatedservices
Next step
Get a test and tagquote
Tell us roughly how many items you have, how many sites, and what the areas are used for. Item count and environment drive the price, and we will tell you which intervals apply before you commit.
Indigi Power and Cooling is an Indigenous and Veteran owned business, Supply Nation and ICN Gateway registered for government, defence and enterprise procurement. Head office 10/240 New Cleveland Road, Tingalpa QLD 4173. Call 1800 046 344.
Contact Indigi Power and Cooling →Partner with Us
Reliable Power & Cooling Solutions from Indigi Power & Cooling Expert supply, installation, and contracting services for critical infrastructure across Australia.