Short answer
Test and tag records are the evidence that your business has inspected and tested electrical equipment as part of managing electrical risk in the workplace.
At a minimum, a business should be able to show what equipment it has, when each item was last tested, the results of those tests, and what happened to any item that failed.
Why records matter
Test and tag is a risk-management control. The tag on the item is only part of the story — it is the records behind it that demonstrate the control was actually applied.
If a regulator, auditor, insurer or client asks how your business manages electrical safety, the ability to produce clear records shows that testing was planned, performed and followed up — not just that someone stuck a tag on a plug.
The records a business should keep
A defensible test and tag system generally includes the following.
- Asset register — an up-to-date list of the electrical equipment in service, including its identification and location.
- Test results — the date of each test, the items tested, and the measured results recorded by the tester.
- Visual inspection notes — anything noted during inspection, such as damaged leads, missing markings or faults.
- Failed item records — what failed, why, and what action was taken, including danger tagging, repair or removal.
- Test and tagging intervals — the schedule applied to your equipment and the basis for it.
Digital records make compliance easier to demonstrate
Paper records are easily lost, damaged or misplaced, which can make it difficult to show a complete testing history.
Digital records — including photographs of failed items and faults — give the client a clear, retrievable record after each visit. When a question arises months later, the information is available rather than buried in a filing cabinet.
What we see in the field
The most common gap we see is businesses that have testing done but cannot produce records when asked. The items are tagged, but there is no register, no results and no history.
We also see records that are incomplete — tests recorded without the measured results, or failed items noted without any follow-up action.
Good records make the difference between simply having testing done and being able to demonstrate that your electrical safety system is working.
Records start with knowing what actually needs testing in your workplace. Our guide on what office equipment needs test and tag is a good place to start.
And if you are unsure whether testing is required at all, our blog will answers the bigger question of whether test and tag is still required in NSW workplaces.