Without Appliance Test Tag Your Fire Insurance Could Be Denied

By Author: John Macula
Total Articles: 14
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Appliance test tag refers to the process of checking your electrical appliances to avoid electric shocks to users or worse, cause fire incidents. In the workplace, this requirement is covered under AS/NZS 3760 adopted in 2010 in relation to the Occupational Health and Safety standards for employees. Essentially what that means is that you, as an employer, is responsible for the safety not just for your employees but for all the people in your building as well.

Not just lip service

It’s really a bad idea to dismiss this requirement as trivial. Government inspectors, in fact, have the power to impose on violators penalties which can run to thousands of dollars. In extreme cases when a death of the worker is involved and the blame points to an inadequate appliance test tag, the employer can be prosecuted and may be thrown in jail. It would also be very difficult for the employer to wriggle out of his responsibility because the law requires him to first accept the services of the electrical contractor before the testing and tagging process can proceed.

The ties that bind

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... dmittedly, it’s very easy to be certified as a service provider of appliance testing and tagging. This places the full responsibility of choosing the right person for the job on the employer’s shoulders. It could be very bad news for the employer knowingly hires the services of the contractor even with the knowledge that it’s uncertified, although the lack of knowledge about procedures in testing and tagging doesn’t fully excuse the employer of any liability. The most common reasons for hiring unlicensed contractors are the familial ties between the employer and the electrician and the services offered were supposed to be affordable. At the end of the appliance test tag, the electrician should give you a copy of the work load which should serve as your basis for the next test and tag schedule.

The insurance implication

The report will also be used as your defence if someone hales you to court in case of fire damage. With the official report, you shift the blame back to the certified electrical contractor, which has its own insurance policy to cover these types of litigations. You should understand that insurance firms have wised up as they require the appliance test tag report from their clients knowing full well that not everybody knows about the law. If you can’t provide a copy of the report, they can withhold your fire insurance on account of negligence.