Electrical Equipment Risk Assessment Checklist 4862
Electrical Equipment Risk Assessment Checklist 4862
Electrical Equipment Risk Assessment Checklist 4862
RISK ASSESSMENT
MAY 2006
A system should be in place to assess the electrical equipment that is used in your workplace. If the
electrical equipment operates in or is affected by a hostile environment it must be regularly inspected,
tested and maintained by a competent person.
These guidelines will help you comply with the legislative requirements in clause 64 of the
Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 (the OHS Regulation 2001) by taking you through
the steps of a risk assessment for the inspection, and testing of plug-in type electrical equipment
used in the workplace.
However, other workplace electrical equipment risk assessments may require a higher level of
expertise and interpretation of results and, therefore, should be carried out by appropriately qualified
or experienced personnel who are able to recognise electrical hazards or potentially unsafe
conditions. For example, an electrician, electrical contractor or specialist testing provider.
Note: If multiple items of electrical equipment of the same design are installed and used under the
same working conditions that are the same for all practical purposes it is only necessary to complete
your risk assessment on a representative sample of those items. For example, office computers and
other similar office type electrical equipment would fall into this category.
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WHAT IS A HOSTILE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT?
A hostile operating environment means an operating environment at a place of work where the
electrical equipment or flexible supply cord is, in its normal use, subject to operating conditions that
are likely to result in damage to the equipment and for example, includes an operating environment
that may cause mechanical damage to the item of equipment or expose the equipment to moisture,
heat, vibration, corrosive substances or dust.
Electrical equipment that is being used in a hostile operating environment must be regularly inspected
and tested in accordance with the provisions of Australian Standard AS/NZS 3760.
Note: You can vary the testing timeframes recommended in AS/NZS 3760 subject to a risk
assessment being carried out in accordance with the risk management provisions of the OHS
Regulation 2001.
Any variation of the testing timeframes that are recommended in AS/NZS 3760 must be supported by
documentation that is retained by the employer in accordance with the record keeping provisions of
clause 65 of the OHS Regulation 2001.
Electrical equipment commonly used in these types of low risk operating environments includes,
computers, photocopiers, power boards, stationary or fixed electrical equipment and similar electrical
appliances.
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• and, if determined as an outcome of a risk assessment, inspection and testing of identified
electrical equipment.
Any such record of a risk assessment should be retained for a period of 12 months.
To get you started, the sample Electrical Equipment Risk Assessment and Inspection Record provides
a format for recording the outcome of your risk assessment and the results of any inspection and
testing carried out on the electrical equipment. Your records should be located conveniently so that
managers, employees and employee representatives can access the information. WorkCover
inspectors and authorised employee representatives have the right to examine the records of
employers, which are required to be kept by the Regulation.
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WHAT GUIDANCE IS AVAILABLE TO HELP ME?
WorkCover has produced the Code of Practice: Technical Guidance. The Code adopts without
alteration the Australian Standard (AS/NZS 3760), In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical
equipment. This Standard provides employers with practical guidance on the inspection, testing and
record keeping of electrical equipment they use at their workplace.
Electrical practices on construction sites, which include inspection and testing of electrical equipment,
are covered separately by the requirements of WorkCover’s Code of Practice – Electrical practices for
construction work.
In addition to the electrical equipment risk assessment and codes of practice, WorkCover has also
produced a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs), on the subject of electrical inspection, testing
and tagging. To view this guidance material and the FAQs, visit WorkCover’s website at
www.workcover.nsw.gov.au.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For more information or assistance contact your local WorkCover NSW office listed in the telephone
directory, go to the WorkCover website www.workcover.nsw.gov.au or contact the WorkCover
Assistance Service on 13 10 50.
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SAMPLE - ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT RISK ASSESSMENT AND INSPECTION RECORD
Date risk assessment or inspection completed: ___ /___ /___
Fill the details in each column for plug-in type electrical equipment used in the workplace. Identify the operating environment of your equipment. Equipment that has been
assessed, as being used in a hostile operating environment MUST be inspected and tested in accordance with AS/NZS 3760 and the test results recorded. Equipment that has
been assessed, as being used in a non-hostile operating environment does not require inspection and testing but must in accordance with the requirements of the OHS
Regulation 2001 be maintained in a safe operating condition. You should review this risk assessment and inspection record if there is a change in equipment use / location or if
an electrical incident occurs.
Equipment description Location Hostile operating environment Non hostile Test results / condition of
Risk factors environment equipment
- Mechanical damage Testing If equipment has been tested
- Moisture required Maintain in safe indicate result:
- Heat condition
- Vibration Pass / Fail, test date and tag
- Corrosive substances number
- Dust
NOTE: Damaged or faulty equipment must be taken out of service and repaired by a competent person or replaced. PAGE OF
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Catalogue No. 4862