School electrical test and tag in Melbourne: responsibilities, equipment and records

Who is responsible for electrical testing in Victorian government schools?

The department's testing and tagging policy states that the principal or their delegate must arrange testing and tagging by a competent person, follow the department's frequency guide and record results in the Electrical Equipment Register or an equivalent register. The policy sits within the department's OHS management system.

A contractor can carry out an agreed testing scope and supply records, but the school still needs someone responsible for booking access, maintaining the register and following up unsafe equipment. Set out these responsibilities before the visit so a report does not become an unattended document.

Which electrical equipment should a school include in its register?

Walk through the campus by building and room, using the previous register as a starting point rather than a complete inventory. Confirm which items are portable or cord-connected and within the agreed testing scope. Fixed electrical installations and specialist equipment may need a different assessment; portable appliance testing is not a check of the entire building installation.

• Classrooms and libraries: chargers, screens, audiovisual equipment and portable teaching appliances.
• Administration and staff rooms: computers, monitors, laminators, printers and kitchen appliances.
• Technology and maintenance areas: cord-connected tools, chargers, extension leads and power boards.
• Equipment moved between rooms, brought in by staff, or hired and loaned for activities.

How often does school equipment need test and tag?

Do not assign one annual interval to every item simply because it is used at a school. Victorian government schools must use the department's current Testing and Tagging of Electrical Equipment Frequency Guide. Equipment use, exposure to damage and the relevant category matter when planning the schedule.

AS/NZS 3760 provides the technical framework for in-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment. Ask the competent person to explain the applicable scope and schedule alongside your school's policy. A holiday booking is an access decision, not permission to postpone testing that is already due.

New, staff-owned, hired and loaned equipment

The government-school policy requires newly purchased equipment to be recorded on the register. It also requires arrangements for testing and tagging equipment brought to school, and current testing records for hired or loaned electrical equipment. Do not treat a new purchase, a staff-owned appliance and a hired item as the same administrative case.

Give staff a clear way to report incoming equipment before it is used. Record its location and ownership, confirm the applicable checks and keep it visible in the school's equipment-management process. This helps avoid gaps when items move between classrooms or arrive for a one-off event.

What happens when an item fails or is visibly unsafe?

The department's policy requires equipment that fails testing or is deemed unsafe to be isolated and tagged out under its Equipment Isolation and Tag Out policy. Do not wait for the next scheduled testing visit to report damaged leads, plugs or appliances. Follow your school's safety procedure and prevent further use until the matter is appropriately resolved.

Testing identifies and documents findings; it does not mean the item has been repaired. Assign the school-side follow-up to a named person and retain separate records of any authorised repair, replacement or disposal. Avoid allowing a failed item to return to use merely because a purchase order has been raised.

School testing records that are useful after the visit

A Plus Compliance Services supports Melbourne education sites with electrical test and tag, digital reports, asset records and due-date reminders. Send your suburb, campus layout, approximate quantities and existing records to our compliance team to discuss the scope. School testing is one part of your wider safety program, not a whole-school safety certification.

• An equipment register organised by building and room, with identifiable assets and test results.
• The test date, testing details and the applicable next due information.
• A clear list of failed equipment and the person responsible for each follow-up action.
• A separate list of items unavailable or outside scope, so missing results are not mistaken for passes.
• Records that remain accessible when the business manager, principal or maintenance contact changes.