Who may test electrical equipment?
A competent person must undertake the testing of electrical equipment. This is a person who has acquired, through training, qualification or experience, or a combination of these, the knowledge and skills required to test electrical equipment competently. The testing of electrical equipment requires specific expertise and interpretation of results and, therefore, can only be carried out by appropriately qualified or trained people who are able to recognise electrical hazards or potentially unsafe conditions. The person carrying out the tests must know what to: • look at; • look for; and • do. The two levels of competency associated with this type of work are: • A licensed electrician with electrical qualifications and skills uses electrical test instruments that give actual readings requiring technical interpretation (eg, using an insulation resistance meter and ohmmeter). • A person not qualified in electrical work uses a ‘pass/fail’ electrical test instrument known as a portable appl
