New electrical installations and any modification to existing installations, including repairs, must be tested before being put into service or use. This is to verify that the installations comply with the requirements of the Australian Standard
AS/NZS 3000 where applicable.
On this page:
Requirements of the Electricity Act 1996 Testing electrical installations Testing and verification sheet
Other Australian standards for testing and verification
Requirements of the Electricity Act 1996
The
Electricity Act 1996 (section 61) requires that a person undertaking work on electrical installations or proposed installations must ensure that:
- the work is carried out as required by regulations
- examinations and tests are carried out as required by the regulations
- the requirements of the regulations as to notification and certificates of compliance are met.
Breaches of the
Electricity Act 1996 (section 61) may incur penalties ranging from expiation fees of $315 per breach to the maximum penalty of $5000.
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Testing electrical installations
All tests and examinations must be carried out on the installation before an electrical certificate of compliance is issued by the electrical worker. The installations must not be energised before an electrical certificate of compliance is issued.
When testing an electrical installation for compliance:
- if a test fails, all preceding tests that may have been influenced by the fault must be repeated after the fault is rectified
- all parts of the installation such as switchboards, sub-mains or outbuildings must be inspected and tested for a full verification of the installation.
In testing electrical installations, the provisions of AS/NZS 3000 (section 8) represent the minimum standards of inspection and testing. These provisions are required to satisfy the safety principles set out in Part 1 of the standard.
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Testing and verification sheet
The Office of the Technical Regulator has developed a testing and verification sheet to assist in the recording of test results. The sheet includes a visual inspection form and a schedule for recording the test results.
It is recommended that a copy of the completed testing and verification sheet (PDF 67KB) is attached to the electrical certificate of compliance.
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Other Australian Standards for testing and verification
Other relevant Standards referred to in AS/NZS 3000 are:
- AS/NZS 3017 Electrical installations verification guidelines– the standard sets out common inspection and testing methods to verify the compliance of a low voltage MEN electrical installation with AS/NZS 3000 and its accompanying standards
- AS/NZS 3019 Electrical installations periodic verification – the standard outlines the requirements for periodic verification of existing installations connected to low voltage AC supply system.
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