Technical reference for AS/NZS 3760:2022 (In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment). Use this skill when the user asks about test and tag requirements, electrical equipment testing intervals, RCD testing, insulation resistance testing, or portable appliance testing — or when an action skill needs to verify or cite specific clauses of AS/NZS 3760:2022.
This skill provides the complete text of AS/NZS 3760:2022, In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment and RCDs, incorporating Amendment No. 1 (December 2022). It enables accurate clause lookup and compliance checking against the standard's requirements for the inspection, testing, tagging and documentation of electrical equipment in service.
AS/NZS 3760 is the primary Australian/New Zealand standard governing in-service testing of portable and stationary electrical equipment connected by flexible cord or connecting device. It specifies inspection procedures, electrical test methods (earth continuity, insulation resistance, leakage current, RCD operating time), pass/fail criteria, testing intervals by environment type, tagging requirements, competent person requirements, and documentation obligations. The standard is commonly referred to in the context of "test and tag" programmes.
| File | Section | Key Clauses | When to Read |
|---|---|---|---|
sections/section-01-scope-and-general.md | Section 1 — Scope and General | Clauses 1.1–1.4 | Scope, application, exclusions, interpretation, definitions (Clause 1.4) including Class I, Class II, competent person, hostile environment, RCD, responsible person |
sections/section-02-inspection-and-tests.md | Section 2 — Inspection and Tests | Clauses 2.1–2.6 | Testing intervals (Clause 2.2, Table 2.4), personnel (Clause 2.3), inspection checklist (Clause 2.4.2), earth continuity test (Clause 2.4.3.1), insulation testing (Clause 2.4.3.2, Tables 2.1 and 2.2), RCD testing (Clause 2.4.3.4, Table 2.3), polarity testing (Clause 2.4.3.5), non-compliant equipment (Clause 2.5.1), tagging requirements (Clause 2.5.2), documentation (Clause 2.6) |
| File | Appendix | Status | Content | When to Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
sections/appendix-a-background.md | Appendix A | Informative | Background information | Background on inspection/testing regime, principles of equipment construction, functional earthing, protective earthing, insulation resistance, test equipment, documentation |
sections/appendix-b-competent-person.md | Appendix B | Informative | Competent person guidelines | Guidelines on electrical knowledge required for a competent person |
sections/appendix-c-polarity.md | Appendix C | Normative | Cord set and cord extension set polarity | Conductor colours, polarity verification for cord sets and cord extension sets |
sections/appendix-d-earthing-continuity.md | Appendix D | Normative | Earthing continuity test | Test method, instrumentation, test conditions for earth continuity resistance measurement |
sections/appendix-e-insulation-testing.md | Appendix E | Normative | Insulation testing | Leakage current and insulation resistance test methods, instrumentation, test conditions for Class I, Class II, cord sets, EPODs |
sections/appendix-f-isolating-transformers.md | Appendix F | Normative | Portable isolating transformer testing | Insulation resistance testing of portable isolating transformers |
sections/appendix-g-power-supply.md | Appendix G | Normative | Power supply testing | Insulation resistance testing of power supplies |
sections/appendix-h-rcd-testing.md | Appendix H | Normative | RCD operating time test | RCD test method, instrumentation, test conditions for single-phase and three-phase RCDs |
sections/appendix-j-arc-welders.md | Appendix J | Informative | Arc welders | Description of welding power supply types |
sections/appendix-k-regulatory.md | Appendix K | Informative | Regulatory application | Contact details for Australian and NZ regulatory authorities |
AS/NZS 3760 is a Category 2 — WHS Approved Code of Practice Reference. It is referenced in various WHS Codes of Practice (notably the Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace Code of Practice) and by AS/NZS 3012 for construction site equipment testing methods. Compliance with AS/NZS 3760 provides a "safe harbour" for demonstrating that a PCBU has met their duty of care in relation to in-service testing of electrical equipment. Departure from the standard is permissible where the PCBU can demonstrate an equivalent or better standard of risk management.
For full regulatory context, including how this standard interacts with the WHS framework and how to frame compliance advice for different categories of standards, read ../../REGULATORY-CONTEXT.md.
../../REGULATORY-CONTEXT.md to ensure the response correctly reflects the legal weight of this standard.| Query Topic | Primary Section(s) | Key Clauses/Tables |
|---|---|---|
| Testing intervals / frequency | Section 2 | Clause 2.2, Table 2.4 |
| Earth continuity test method | Section 2 + Appendix D | Clause 2.4.3.1, Appendix D |
| Insulation resistance test | Section 2 + Appendix E | Clause 2.4.3.2, Table 2.2, Appendix E |
| Leakage current test | Section 2 + Appendix E | Clause 2.4.3.2, Table 2.1, Appendix E |
| RCD testing | Section 2 + Appendix H | Clause 2.4.3.4, Table 2.3, Appendix H |
| Pass/fail criteria (earth continuity) | Section 2 + Appendix D | Clause 2.4.3.1 (≤ 1 Ω) |
| Pass/fail criteria (insulation) | Section 2 | Table 2.1 (leakage), Table 2.2 (insulation resistance) |
| Pass/fail criteria (RCD trip time) | Section 2 | Table 2.3 |
| Visual inspection checklist | Section 2 | Clause 2.4.2 |
| Tagging requirements | Section 2 | Clause 2.5.2 |
| Non-compliant equipment | Section 2 | Clause 2.5.1 |
| Documentation / records | Section 2 | Clause 2.6 |
| Competent person definition | Section 1 + Appendix B | Clause 1.4.5, Appendix B |
| Equipment scope / exclusions | Section 1 | Clauses 1.1, 1.1.1, 1.1.2 |
| Hire equipment | Section 1 + Section 2 | Clauses 1.2.4, Table 2.4 (row 6) |
| New equipment | Section 1 | Clause 1.2.1 |
| Hostile environment definition | Section 1 | Clause 1.4.13 |
| Polarity testing | Section 2 + Appendix C | Clause 2.4.3.5, Appendix C |
| Arc welder testing | Section 2 + Appendix J | Clause 2.4.3.7, Appendix J |
| Portable inverter testing | Section 2 | Clause 2.4.3.8 |
| Isolating transformer testing | Section 2 + Appendix F | Clause 2.4.3.3, Appendix F |
| Power supply testing | Section 2 + Appendix G | Clause 2.4.3.3, Appendix G |
| Equipment | Maximum Leakage (mA) |
|---|---|
| Class I | 5 |
| Class II | 1 |
| PRCDs with FE | 5 |
| Cord extension sets, cord sets, EPODs and PRCDs | 1 |
| Equipment | Minimum Insulation Resistance (MΩ) |
|---|---|
| Class I | 1.0 |
| Class II | 1.0 |
| PRCDs with FE | 0.05 |
| Cord extension sets, cord sets, EPODs and PRCDs | 1.0 |
| Class I with mineral insulated metal sheath heating elements | 0.01 |
| RCD Type | Test Current (AC mA) | Maximum Tripping Time (ms) |
|---|---|---|
| Type I | 10 | 40 |
| Type II | 30 | 300 |
The exact table data is in sections/section-02-inspection-and-tests.md — always read the source file for precise values. The general structure covers:
Note: This skill covers AS/NZS 3760 only. For construction site electrical installation and verification requirements, consult the companion as-nzs-3012 skill. For general electrical installation requirements, consult the as-nzs-3000 skill. For WHS legislative requirements, consult the relevant whs-act-checker and whs-regulation-checker skills.