What Is a 'Competent Person' for Test and Tag (and Why It Matters)?

Test and tag has to be done by a “competent person” — someone with the training, knowledge and proper calibrated equipment to carry out the tests and correctly interpret the results. Legally, that competent person doesn’t have to be a licensed electrician. But there’s a solid case for using one, and it comes down to what happens when something fails.

Here’s what the term actually means and why it should matter to you.

The definition, in plain English

Under AS/NZS 3760, a competent person is someone who has the practical and theoretical knowledge, and the experience, to test electrical equipment safely and know what the results are telling them. In practice that means proper training in the process and a properly maintained, calibrated appliance tester — not just someone handed a tester and a roll of tags.

Licensed electrician vs “trained tester”

A short course can make someone competent to run the test and slap on a pass or fail sticker. That’s fine as far as it goes. The difference with a licensed electrician is what happens at the moment something fails: a sparky understands the fault behind the result — why that lead failed insulation resistance, what’s actually wrong, and how to fix it on the spot. A tester tells you it failed; an electrician tells you why and sorts it.

For a commercial or industrial site, where a failed item can mean downtime, that difference is worth a lot.

Why “calibrated equipment” isn’t just jargon

An appliance tester that’s drifted out of calibration can pass gear that should fail. If your records are ever questioned — in an audit or an insurance claim — testing done with uncalibrated equipment is a weak spot. A proper operator keeps their gear calibrated and can show it.

What to ask a provider

• Are you a licensed electrician, or a trained tester?
• Is your test equipment calibrated, and can you show it?
• Do I get a certificate and a full asset register, not just tags?

If the answers are solid, you’re in good hands. If they’re vague, keep looking.