Clause 64 of the OHS Regulation requires that inspection, testing and maintenance of electrical equipment be carried out by a ‘competent person’.
For construction work (as defined in Clause 3 of the OHS Regulation) the testing and tagging requirements are described in the Code of Practice: Electrical practices for construction work.
For electrical equipment that is used in a hostile operating environment (as defined in Clause 64 of the OHS Regulation) the testing and tagging requirements are described in the Australian Standard AS/NZS 3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment (AS/NZS 3760).
Both sets of requirements require the person doing the testing and tagging to use electrical judgement therefore the work can only be carried out by an electrician or a competent person trained in the use of a PAT.
Clause 64 (2),
• all electrical equipment that is used in construction work to be regularly inspected, tested and maintained by a competent person to ensure it is safe for use, and
• all electrical equipment that is used at a place of work where the safe operation of the electrical equipment could be affected by a hostile operating environment is regularly inspected, tested and maintained by a competent person to ensure it is safe for use, and
• all electrical equipment at a place of work that is found to be unsafe is disconnected from the electricity supply and is repaired, replaced or permanently removed from use.
Clause 65 (1),
• that an employer must ensure that a record is made and kept of all inspections and tests made
and maintenance carried out on electrical equipment.
extracted from "COMPETENT PERSON FOR TESTING AND TAGGING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT" WorkCover publication