What Records Should You Keep After Test and Tag?

After a test and tag service, NSW businesses must keep three things: the tag on each tested appliance, an asset register listing every item tested, and a record of any failed items and the action taken. These records are your proof of compliance if SafeWork NSW, an insurer, or a principal contractor ever asks for documentation — and knowing exactly what to keep, in what format, and for how long protects you when it counts.

Key takeaways

• Under SafeWork NSW, a test tag on each appliance can legally serve as your record of testing.
• AS/NZS 3760:2022 recommends keeping a full asset register and a record of any failed items on top of the tag.
• Records should be kept until the next test is completed at a minimum, but keeping them longer is strongly advisable.
• Digital records are acceptable and make producing documentation significantly easier.

What NSW law says you must keep

Under SafeWork NSW, a record of testing must be kept until the electrical equipment is next tested, permanently removed from the workplace, or disposed of. That record must include the name of the person who performed the testing, the testing date, the outcome, and the date the next test is due. The record may be in the form of a tag attached to the tested electrical equipment.

In plain terms: the tag on your appliance legally satisfies the minimum record-keeping requirement under NSW law. But a tag can hold only a fraction of the information you may need if something goes wrong.

What AS/NZS 3760:2022 recommends beyond the minimum

The Australian standard goes further than the legal minimum. AS/NZS 3760:2022 recommends that businesses keep three items to establish the history of testing: a test tag on each item, an asset register, and a historical record of all test items and results, as well as a record of any faulty items and the repair or corrective action taken.

Here is what each of those means in practice:

• The test tag confirms the item was tested, who tested it, the outcome, and when the next test is due. It’s attached to the appliance.
• The asset register is a running list of every item tested at your premises across multiple rounds of testing. It lets you track the full history of each piece of equipment. This is useful when items are replaced, repaired, or moved between sites.
• The record of failed items documents what was removed from service, why it failed, and the action taken, whether repair, replacement, or disposal. This is the record that matters most if an incident involving a piece of equipment ever occurs.

Records can be maintained electronically or in logbooks and must be readily available during safety audits or investigations.

How long should you keep your records?

SafeWork NSW sets the legal minimum until the next test. In practice, that is not long enough to adequately protect your business.

The safer approach is to retain all test and tag records for at least 5 years. This covers you across multiple testing cycles and gives you a defensible audit trail if SafeWork NSW, an insurer, or a principal contractor requests documentation. Some insurers and principal contractors require records going back two or more testing rounds before they will accept your compliance documentation.

If you have digital records, store them in an easy-to-access location and back them up regularly.

What to do if your records are incomplete 

If you are unsure what documentation you currently hold, or if your last provider only handed you a basic certificate without itemised results, get clarity before your next audit or insurance renewal.

A reputable test and tag provider should deliver a complete set of records after every job: tagged appliances, a detailed compliance report with individual test results, and an asset register you can file and retrieve easily. If that is not what you received last time, it is worth asking why.

What your test and tag provider should give you

A compliant test and tag provider should hand over three things at the end of every job: tagged appliances, a detailed report listing individual test results for each item, and an asset register you can file and retrieve when needed.

The tag alone is not enough. If your provider only leaves a basic certificate or a single-page summary without itemised results, you do not have a complete compliance record.

When choosing a provider, check that they:

• Test and record each item individually, not in bulk
• Provide a written report you can keep on file
• Deliver an asset register you can update across future testing rounds
• Flag and document any failed items separately, including the action taken

If your current records do not include all of the above, raise it with your provider before your next audit or insurance renewal.