Anyone had their CT/caravan power lead Tag status checked by a CP?

G`day Mark,

Is it mandatory for extension leads to be tested and tagged if it is only used as private/personal equipment, i.e. not for commercial or business use?
There are "test&tag" businesses here in Vic.

Scrubby.

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!) [;-)

And ... does the lead have to be supported on insulated poles two metres above the ground between connection points.
IE not laying on the ground ???

This is an interesting matter ...... like so many other things this is a situation that is not specifically addressed in legeslation or standards.

As has been mentioned ..... the Caravan park it's self is a business and workplace thus inspection, testing and tagging requirements apply to all the electrical equipment owned and operated by that business ..... in addition all contractors working on that site are bound by test & tag requirements. ..... AND the caravan park manager is responsible for ensuring those contractors comply.

However ..... caravan parks would be one of the very few situations where a private individual brings electrical equipment onto a business site and operates it.

I know many businesses will reasonably require any and all electrical equipment braught onto their site to be in current compliance with testing and tagging requirements ........ and this would be an expectation of many risk assessors and advisors.

As for this testing and tagging of privately owned caravan leads ....... yeh ..... this is an interesting one.

The caravan park manager clearly has an obligation and a duty of care to ensure electricall safety on their site ....... but how do they adequately discharge that.

This is where so many rediculous OHS decisions come from ...... a propper and reasonable risk assessment needs to be made.

I'll digress a little ........ IF the site manager sees the need for a caravan lead to be tested and tagged ..... surely it would then make sence that they would require a certificate of test or statement of compliance for the caravan its self and that every appliance within that caravan is tested and tagged ..... ya see where I am going with this. ...I believe in some places overseas caravans are required to carry a current statement of compliance.

Seem this test & tag requirement on the caravan lead alone is nothing more than token effort safetyism ....... and those requireing it are willingly blind to the real issues.

To properly discharge their obligations I believe the CVP managers should .

#1 and above all ... conduct a propper risk assessment after informing themselves of the real risks.

#2 ensure that their electrcal house is in order ...... if their site is compliant with current regulations there are a couple of very solid layers of safety already in place ..... specifically every site outlet double pole switched, individually protected for both overload and earth leakage. .... I would expect some sort of programed inspection and testing on the site connections ..... how much of this happens?

#3 they should inform and require all clients to declare that their caravan and all associated equipment is compliant and in good order.

#4 they should make daily cursory inspection of their site ensuring propper care an attention to electrical safety, in particular visual inspection of the connections of the vans to the site connections

Requiring testing and tagging of the caravan lead alone, does very little to discharge their responsibility.

It would however be entirely reasonable for a caravan park manager to require a visual inspection of the caravan lead ........ evreybody is capalble and qualified to conduct a visual inspection ... and everybody should every time an item is used.

As the stadards, regulations and the electrical trainers will inform you the majority of "In service electrical inspection & testing" is the visual inspection and will reveal the majority of faults.

That covers the Caravan park responsibilities ...... what a lot of people don't what to hear about is the responsibility of the caravan owner ....... YOU are obliged to ensure that your van is safe, compliant and in good repair ........ considering a caravan is subject to wear and tear, vibration and possible damage ..... how do YOU discharge your responsibility ........ how many caravans have every been electrically inspected after they leave the factory.

Ya see why some of the CVP managers are nervous.

just some thaughts.

cheers

I never knew we had so many qualified electricians and practicing lawyers among our ranks!

Gawd I love "Electrical" threads. Even better entertainment than Mythbusters. LOL

Mark,
here is an answer your original post.

Over many years we have stayed in caravan parks, show grounds, racecourses, football grounds and rodeo grounds in all states of Australia except Tassy.

In that time no one has ever looked at our leads.

Some of the show grounds have signs on the switchboards that leads have to be tagged but they are only interested in the showies leads at show time.

G'day mark

No, I've never been asked to show proof of tagging or inspection of my power leads. Nor have I seen a sign asking for same or specifying the requirement.

Cheers

Thank you all, looks like I don't have to have my 15A lead (and plugs) tagged.

Mark