Before connection, electrical installations are subject to third-party inspection. Along with this, certain installations need to be periodically inspected to ensure that they remain safe to use.

Inspection

Electrical installations considered to be a high risk are subject to third party inspection (Regulation 70(external link)). Such installations include:

• those carried out in accordance with Part 1 of AS/NZ 3000
• installations that operate at high voltages
• mains work
• work on mains parallel generation
• work on hazardous areas
• installations intended for use with electrical medical devices
• work on animal stunning appliances or meat conditioning appliances
• a photovoltaic system

The inspection, third-party verification, must be carried out to ensure that the installation will be safe when connected to a supply and has been done in accordance with the Act and Regulations.

Inspections can only be carried out by a person who is authorised by their registration and practising licence to carry out inspection work and by a person who has not carried that work or supervised that work or certified that work (Regulation 71(external link)). 

References to “Inspections” within AS/NZS 3000 do not imply that that “inspection” is work required to be performed by an “Inspector” unless the Regulations specifically require these aspects of the work to be inspected by a person authorised (Registered and Licensed) to perform inspection. For example, when the installation work is in a hazardous area.

The inspection must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the applicable installation standards.

Work done on an installation that complies with Part 1 of AS/NZS 3000 must be inspected in accordance with that standard and in accordance with the verification process described in the certified design for the installation.

A Record of Inspection (RoI) must be completed for each inspection.

Inspection and testing

Not all testing and inspection is Prescribed Electrical Work (PEW). Testing and Inspection is PEW only if it meets the following three criteria concurrently:

• that the inspection or testing work is PEW within Schedule 1(external link); and
• that the inspection or testing work is inspection or testing required to be carried out for compliance with the Regulations; and
• that the testing or inspection work is that work which is being carried out for that purpose of compliance with the Regulations. For example, insulation resistance testing that is not being used for the certification of an electrical installation, is not PEW.

Periodic verification

A person who owns or operates works, installations, fittings, or appliances must not use, and must not allow anyone to use, the works, installations, fittings, or appliances if they are electrically unsafe.

In-service safety verification

Certain installations are at higher risk of becoming unsafe over time and therefore, they must be inspected  by competent persons  (Regulation 75(external link)):

• carnivals and fairgrounds
• hazardous areas
• medical facilities.

Warrant of electrical fitness

Connectable installations such as a vehicle, relocatable building, or pleasure vessel, must not be hired or leased unless the connectable installation has a current warrant of electrical fitness.

A warrant of electrical fitness must be issued by an authorised person. The specific requirements for a vehicle, relocatable building or a pleasure vessel can be found under Regulations  76(external link),  77(external link) and  78(external link).

Reconnection

If the installation has been disconnected for more than six months, the person doing the connection must give or sight a Certificate of Verification (CoV) issued in accordance with Section 3 of AS/NZS 3019 that it:

• was issued no earlier than six months before the date of reconnection
• certifies the installations are suitable for continued use, and
• is given by a person authorised to certify mains work.

The specific requirements for reconnection can be found in Regulation 74(external link).