Thread: Power Tool Safety Tagging

hi paul.

try master builders or hia. master builders are currently charging non-members $395. members $285.

if you are a member its cheaper, but if you only want to do this course and dont need the extra services these companies provide, then i recommend you pay the extra as a non-member.
after completing the course, you are allowed to tag your own tools and your employers tools as the employee.
you cannot tag other peoples tools.
you cannot contract your services for testing and tagging.

i am looking at doing this course myself very soon.

justin.

Originally Posted by smidsy

Hei Guys,
I notice that the tagging at work is done by one of the grounds ladies, I haven't asked but I suspect she's not a sparkie.

Is there a course you can do to get the ticket?
Cheers
Paul

Australia's TAFEs do a roaring trade in Test & Tagging courses. They usually offer a 2 day full time or evening courses over succeeding weeks.
There's nothing even remotely difficult about T&T. Just a bit of common sense, a "Megger" insulation tester and a ticket is all that is necessary for the layman to participate.
Considering the expense involved in 3rd. party testing, I'm amazed every tradie, or even apprentice, isn't doing it to either save a heap of bucks, or earn a little extra "beer money".

i've been living and working in australia for 14 years ratbag and never had to pay to get my tools tested and tagged.
i have had electricians actually test and tag my tools while i was working for other builders, but i have never had to pay for that.
i suspect there are quite a few tradies like myself who have the same experience.
i want to do the course as i now have my builders licence and feel more responsible, especially when running my own jobs.
plus i dont need the work cover fines either!

by the way, how much is the tafe course compared to the prices i have discussed above.

cheers, justin.

Originally Posted by justinmcf

i've been living and working in australia for 14 years ratbag and never had to pay to get my tools tested and tagged.
i have had electricians actually test and tag my tools while i was working for other builders, but i have never had to pay for that.
i suspect there are quite a few tradies like myself who have the same experience.
i want to do the course as i now have my builders licence and feel more responsible, especially when running my own jobs.
plus i dont need the work cover fines either!

by the way, how much is the tafe course compared to the prices i have discussed above.

cheers, justin.

Justin, as a South Islander I wouldn't have a clue about pricing and availability of QLD T&T courses. A telephone call to your local TAFE institute would help to clarify the matter.

A sparkie's ticket doesn't actually qualify one to T&T. It's an additional requirement (and course). When I participated some years ago in Tas. I think my course was about $300.

thanks for the info ratbag.

i tried calling tafe 2 years ago with regards to the test and tag course.
i also enquired about the builders licence at the same time.

they told me that they no longer did the test and tag course for people like myself. and that you had to be a qualified sparky to enrol for the new test and tag course.

they also give me the run around with the builders licence. they told me i had do do the course through the bsa.
which is a load of bollocks, as the bsa do not run courses.
but i called the bsa anyway, and they told me to contact hia or master builders.
so i contacted both companies with regards to these 2 courses and they told me these courses were no longer available and that i would be better off contacting tafe............
now i know what it feels like when dogs chase their tails!

i spent about 2 hours on the phone that day, talking to different people who probably knew less than me.
i ended up doing my builders licence through a company called australian construction training services. great people and highly recommend them!

i will probably do the test and tag course through master builders, if they run the course locally.

cheers, justin.

I am based in Melbourne. Five years ago did a coarse for testing and tagging. Two nights of two hours at a local TAFE. The instructor pointed out that you need to be a "Competent Person" ie. you have the necessary practical and theoretical skills. I do testing to AS/NZS 3760 -"In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment" or commonly known as testing and tagging.

You do not need to do a coarse but it will help.

Most faults are picked up by physical examination. Just because an item past a test yesterday does not mean it is safe today. Items do get dropped, leads run over, and jammed in doors etc.

At the end of the day it is about trying to make things safer. Some faults I have seen really make ones eyes open. If I can see a fault without touching the equipment there must be something wrong.

Originally Posted by Ratbag

A sparkie's ticket doesn't actually qualify one to T&T.

Yes it does actually.

I think the T&T course "qualification" varies from state to state. If you are going to fork out for one of these courses make sure it allows you to do what you require. Your own tools, tools for your employer or tools for other companies.

Well, thumbs down for uniform national standards then.
I've never really been a Federalist, but maybe its time for a change...

Justin, it seems that QLD & NSW training standards are at odds with local industry requirements. That's bureaucracy at its best. The Tas. qualification allows you to Test & Tag personal & 3rd. party tools, and to do so on a commercial basis.

Maybe it's time for a short holiday in Tas. Rowena at the Skills Institute, Electrotechnology North (1800 655 846) could illuminate you on course dates and prices. They welcome all comers into their short courses. The Skills Inst. (our local TAFE) actually loses money on Apprentice training, and makes up for this with revenues from its Short Courses.

I actually work in industry unrelated to wood and thankfully dont use power tools beyond light, drill and angle grinder and have found the T&T regime so annoying that I only use battery tools now.
I would get my equipment tagged and then go onsite an they would say that it has to be tagged by THEIR people, sometime they would charge me and sometime just waste an hour of my time. when you go to 4 or 5 sites in a week this is a major PIA

Originally Posted by ClintO

I actually work in industry unrelated to wood and thankfully dont use power tools beyond light, drill and angle grinder and have found the T&T regime so annoying that I only use battery tools now.
I would get my equipment tagged and then go onsite an they would say that it has to be tagged by THEIR people, sometime they would charge me and sometime just waste an hour of my time. when you go to 4 or 5 sites in a week this is a major PIA

What a scam!
Legally, your tags are good for 3 months, although common sense also prevails, i.e. if your tool/s have been damaged, dunked etc. then they obviously need retesting.
I can see why you've gone cordless. But what of your charger/s?

I settled on Makita LXT 18v lithium and a few spare batteries, the charger stays in the vehicle or hotel room
I have found that the LXT lasts incredibly well for what I do, its amazing how far battery technology has developed since the old 7 and 9 volt NiCad drills

Its all a bit of a wank . If you know your electrics, you know there are issues hitting things with a megger then saying they are OK. . Tagging is for idiots, it gives them their salvation. It is not reality. But then again , it may remove thet that is obvious. Who am I to say..

Some mine sites have banned power tools all together. Air or battery power only.
One mine site, where we do the tagging, has weekly tagging for all contractors.
We currently tag on average about 600 items per week. Personally, I'd love to see people take responsibility for their own actions and maintain their own tools in a safe condition not look for someone else to blame when something goes wrong. Won't be holding my breath for that one though. Sorry I'm just a bit over tagging atm.

Why is there such a big issue with testing?
The authority responsible for a site need to ensure the safety of all persons whether they are staff, contractors, customers, clients or visitors.
Why do they want to test items on site or brought on site? To reduce the risk of electric shock which can be fatal or other injuries and they are responsible.

Items need retesting on a regular basis depending on where they are used and the type of item - but that does not mean they will be safe beyond the time they are tested.

Let us take for example an extension lead used by a contractor with a grinder. At site A he has them tested and passed and when using them the spinning disk damages the insulation of the extension lead. At site B the next day, the lead is not checked and passes though a doorway with a metal door or door frame. The damage just happens to be touching the door or frame when another person touches said door or frame and receives a shock. Worksafe is called in to investigate and the management of Site B is prosecuted for not providing a safe work place.

The testing is sometimes only as good as the tester.
Items might fail the test for a variety of reasons and these include defective or missing guards, inoperative switch, damaged casing and damaged plugs or leads. I have seen sealed cables fail because the active and neutral are reversed or no earth (when required). The vast majority of items I see pass, but I have also seen some (pardon the pun) shockers that I could not remove from service fast enough.

Yes it is a hassle. Yes it might cost $. Yes some people make a $. But it might save one life.