The Electrical Check Every New Sydney Business Needs

Many new business owners think new equipment is always safe to use, but it's not. Before you open, make sure every item, from your coffee machine to your point-of-sale terminal, gets an electrical check. Brand-new gear needs inspecting, and second-hand or untested gear needs testing.

No matter if you’re opening a cafe, retail shop, office, or trade business, it’s easy to forget this compliance step when you’re busy with fit-out, stock, and staff. But if something goes wrong, it’s often the first thing an insurer, landlord, or WHS inspector will check.

Key takeaways

• New equipment isn’t automatically safe. Brand-new gear needs inspecting and scheduling for its first test, while second-hand or untested gear should be tested before first use.
• Your pre-opening electrical check should cover appliances, power tools, cables, power boards and RCDs.
• Set up your testing schedule before opening day, not after an inspector or insurer asks for it.
• A competent tester can build your equipment register from day one, so you never have to retrofit one later.
• New business owners carry the same WHS obligations as established ones, from their very first day of trading.

New doesn’t mean tested

An electrical check, often called test and tag, is the process of inspecting and testing plug-in electrical equipment to confirm it’s safe to use. A competent tester checks the equipment visually, then runs an electrical test before applying a tag showing the result and the next test due date.

For new businesses, this covers more equipment than most people realise. SafeWork NSW says brand-new, out-of-the-box equipment doesn’t need testing before it goes into service, unless there are reasonable grounds to believe it is unsafe. Still, manufacturing faults, transport damage, or storage issues can affect safety, so inspect each item on delivery and book its first scheduled test. Plug-in equipment should be tested before first use if it was bought second-hand, has been repaired, or has no testing record. Landlords and insurers may also ask for proof of testing, so it’s best to have your records ready before you open.

Under work health and safety law, business owners have a duty to manage electrical risks from the moment they start trading, not once they’re established. That obligation doesn’t come with a grace period for new businesses.

Your room-by-room list before opening day

Before you open, work through your equipment room by room. A typical pre-opening list includes:

• Kitchen and appliances: kettles, microwaves, coffee machines, fridges, urns and any equipment plugged into a wall socket
• Office and IT gear: computers, monitors, printers, POS terminals and chargers
• Power tools: drills, saws and any tools used during fit-out or ongoing trade work
• Cables and cords: extension leads, power boards and any cord sets connecting equipment to power
• RCDs: safety switches protecting your circuits, tested separately from general equipment

Go through this list before your first day of trading. It’s much easier to fix or replace faulty items during fit-out than after your business is running. If you’re leasing a space that’s already set up, don’t assume the last tenant tested their equipment. Treat everything as untested until you’ve checked it yourself.

Build the habit before you need it

The main mistake new business owners make isn’t missing the first check. It’s thinking of it as a one-time job instead of the beginning of a regular routine.

How often you need to test depends on your workplace. Busy places like kitchens or workshops need more frequent checks than quiet offices, since heat, moisture, and heavy use wear out equipment faster. If you set your schedule before you open, you won’t have to rush later or explain missed checks to an inspector.

Create a simple equipment register during your pre-opening check. List each item, its test date, and when it needs to be tested next. This gives you a solid foundation as your business grows, instead of trying to catch up later.