Thread: Test and Tag of Appliances

If any of my actions or lack thereof, caused anyones life to be altered for the worse, I would spend the rest of my miserable life in shame!!
Any system of work that enhances safety in a practical no-nonsense way is a step forward in evolution, is it not?

Dunno about you fellas', but I work to live...not live to work, and I refuse to die for my work.

I suppose because I wear both hats on the building site (boss and worker) I see both sides of the safety coin, as a worker I don't want to be injured or see my pals injured either, my site is clean, tools are safe and I have plenty of aluminium planks ,trestles and scaffold to do the job safely.We also have done industry induction safety courses.
As the boss I get to pay the inflated worksafe premiums, cop any fines (none yet), put up with the changing regs, have the thought that at any moment my site could be visted and no matter how well we try at any time the w.s. police could find a safety breach and remember I also cop it even if I'm not on site and some dill comes to my job pulls out an old lead with the wires hanging out and hangs upside to do his job.
So unless your living my life my I won't back away from my sarcastic comments re: lawyers and worksafe inspectors, we have seen some good inspectors out there and some real turkeys I guess its the same in life.
Cheers
John

Having just renewed my restricted licence & done a skills maintence course, I am revewing all my "electrical polocies".

I did the full ticket sparkeis skills maintence course & found it most informative.
Two main points were forcefully put.
1/ I the high & multiple penalties for all parties for electrical foolishness
2/ The importance of doing it properly and holding evidence of that fact to protect your own backside.

Since i have done some test & tag jobs and found faulty equipment on each occasion. Even in my own equipment which I am very fussy about.

The change in legeslation (particularly in queensland) has been to a buck stops with you attitude.

A piece of faulty gear is everybodies problem. If you touch it, see it or own it & its faulty its your problem if you don't take steps to make the situation "safe".
Maximum penalty 40 penalty units (40 x $75) If nobody gets hurt.

I've seen so many pieces of gear that have been faulty & noncompliant obviously for many years that it is realy frightening.
Testing & taging regularly will remove this problem.

example 1.
my own soldering iron (used every day) the tip & barrel didb not have correct earth continulity. Clean the tip clean the barrel fixed. I will now look at this every day.
example 2
custom constructed audio item in a customers rack. tested no earth continuity to many parts of the case. case powdercoated & preventing electrical contact between parts. been that way since built (10 years) never tagged,
example 3
old scary amp for repair, multiple points of noncompliance from manufacture & various scary previous repairs. never tagged. seriously dangerous, was in service.
these are some samples from one month.

by the way
In queensland every person is obliged to do a rudimentary check of electrical safety every time they use an item. This means having a quick look to make sure its not obviously dodgy. Penalty fo failing to do so or using a bit of gear you know is dodgy 40 penalty units, If no one gets hurt.

This stuff is getting realy serious chaps & not before time.

If you do the correct stuff & keep the correct records your backside is covered.

cheers chaps

Look I have been using a Drill with Earth and its lasted for years and never got a shock
has had 2 x 3 pin plug attached to cord, but the double insulated tools are very safe just the cord You have to worry about if working on construction, when unplugged run hand over cord just to make sure there is no cracks or splits that have bare wire protruding from it.
It is a good idea to get it tested and tagged, but use common sense and every time you use it to do a visual.

Peace

Just out of curiosity, how did you stumble upon this 4 1/2 year old thread?

Beware the of the living dead

cheers