Friday, Sep 25, 2015 at 22:12
The tagging question appears to be one of jurisdiction. Each State has its own Workcover/Worksafe/Safework regulatory body. They each all have slightly different ideas and wording, there is no standard Australia-wide agreement. However, the regulations appear to be BROADLY the same, from State to State.
I have just had a quick look at Worksafe W.A., Safework S.A., and Workcover NSW tagging regulations.
I have not checked every single States regulations.
W.A. and S.A. have absolutely no extension lead tagging laws or regulations, as regards people living/staying in caravan parks.
Both Worksafe W.A. and Safework S.A. are only concerned with WORKPLACES - that is, anywhere in the business operation where employees/owners are working, which is classified as a workplace.
The caravan park grounds where holidaymakers are staying is not treated as a workplace, as far as holidaymakers are concerned.
The same area IS treated as a workplace for the caravan park owners or employees. As a result, it is normally only the caravan park (owners) leads and electrical fittings/equipment that comes under Worksafe regulations.
A holidaymaker who supplies his own extension lead is not required to have that lead tagged in W.A. or S.A., as no employees are involved and the area of use is not deemed to be a workplace.
NSW appears to be a slightly different story, with some caravan park owners making their premises subject to "site rules", precisely the same as a construction site.
The quote below, is from page 13 of the NSW Workcover document listed below the quote ...
"WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING AND TAGGING ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AT A CARAVAN PARK?
The owner of a caravan park has a number of responsibilities under the Act and the Regulation:
1. The owner has a responsibility as an employer to any employees who work at the caravan park
2. The owner, as a ’controller of premises’, has responsibilities to other employers who may use the caravan park facilities (e.g., a
shop leased to another employer)
3. The owner of the caravan park has a general duty of care to the residents, holidaymakers and visitors to the caravan park.
The owner of the caravan park (as an employer and controller of premises) must therefore comply with the specific requirements of the OHS Regulation to ensure a safe electrical installation and safe electrical equipment.
This requirement extends to both the electrical installation, and any plug-in type electrical equipment under the ownership and control of the caravan park owner.
The owner must comply with the specific legislative requirements contained in clauses 41, 64 and 65 of the Regulation.
Note: These legislative obligations do not extend to plug-in electrical equipment owned by a holidaymaker that is plugged into the caravan park’s electrical installation.
There is no requirement for this electrical equipment to be inspected, tested and tagged in accordance with the Standard, AS/NZS 3760.
Regardless of this, WorkCover is aware that some caravan park owners have exercised a site rule (based on public liability requirements), requiring holidaymakers to have their extension lead tested and tagged."
Electrical testing and tagging - FAQ - NSW Workcover
The general attitude by the States I examined, appears to be one of "no requirement for tagging for extension leads" when they are owned and solely used by a holidaymaker.
The exception appears to be, those NSW caravan parks who have declared holidaymakers in their park to be subject to a "site rule" - which effectively means that holidaymakers extensions leads fall into the same category as any workplace extension lead, and they require tagging.
Cheers, Ron.
(P.S. - I am not an electrician, and the above is posted as my opinion, as I have interpreted it from what I have read on official documents. Anyone who is electrocuted by a dodgy lead can only blame themselves, and I hereby declare I accept no responsibility for anyone trying to claim electrical injury or death resulting from reading my opinion!)
(P.P.S. - the above release from liability is the lawyer in me, talking!) [;-)
AnswerID:
590752
Follow Up By: K&FT - Friday, Sep 25, 2015 at 22:30
Friday, Sep 25, 2015 at 22:30
The requirement by caravan park owner/manager may be due to a previous insurance claim involving a defective extension lead therefore the insurance company may have made testing and tagging a condition of the insurance policy to help prevent any further losses.
frank
FollowupID:
858776
Follow Up By: Ron N - Friday, Sep 25, 2015 at 23:11
Friday, Sep 25, 2015 at 23:11
Frank, that is quite likely a possible scenario. PL insurance is a real headache for businesses today.
My rented workshop (perfectly good steel-framed shed) is slated for demolition in the next couple of months - purely because it is asbestos-sheeting clad - and my landlord claims he can no longer get PL insurance on it, because of the high potential for a mesothelioma or asbestosis claim.
The landlords claim seems odd to me, as there are still tens of thousands of rented industrial buildings clad in asbestos - but perhaps his insurance companys attitude is just the start of the ball rolling, and soon every other insurance company will pick up on it, and also adopt the same attitude towards asbestos cladding.
Re the OP's question about whether they have had leads checked for tags - I forgot to mention I have stayed in numerous caravan parks in W.A. and the N.T. in recent years, and not one has ever requested to see tagged leads.
We have hired several motorhomes in the last few years - and in every case, they came equipped with 15A extension leads as part of the hire deal - and not one of them was tagged.
Cheers, Ron.
FollowupID:
858778
Follow Up By: mike39 - Saturday, Sep 26, 2015 at 07:45
Saturday, Sep 26, 2015 at 07:45
We very seldom stay in caravan parks and have never been asked a question regarding extension leads.
However, at the last CP we stayed at only 1 out of the 4 "box on pole" power outlets worked.
The manager wanted to provide a double adaptor so that we could share one outlet with the adjoining van.
This could have potentially doubled the load on that single outlet (2 x 15a. = 30a.)
Said no thanks, he then provided a long lead connected to another box outlet.
And this in a Council owned CP!
Mike
FollowupID:
858786