This Standard specifies procedures for the safety inspection and testing of low voltage single phase and polyphase electrical equipment, connected to the electrical supply by a flexible cord or connecting device. It also include procedures for the safety inspection and testing of: Residual current devices (RCDs) except those within the scope of AS/NZS 3003 and NZS 6115; and Portable inverters that generate or produce low voltage.

This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee EL 036 – In-service testing of electrical equipment to supersede AS/NZS 3760:2003 and its Amendment No. 1 (2005) from the date of publication. This edition has undergone a complete revision.

In-service testing is a necessary part of any safety program to help ensure the safety of persons using electrical equipment in the workplace. This Standard specifies in-service safety inspection and testing protocols and criteria that satisfy these obligations, and provides a cost-effective approach to safety without jeopardizing personnel safety or involving excessive equipment downtime.

The philosophy of the document is to provide an inspection and testing regime capable of implementation with only simple instrumentation, and performed by a person not necessarily having formal qualifications or registration, but who has the necessary practical and theoretical skills, acquired through training, qualification, experience or a combination of these, to correctly undertake the tasks prescribed by this Standard.

This Standard is not intended to demonstrate that equipment complies with the safety Standard appropriate to the equipment.

The methodology of the inspection and testing process is defined.

The frequency of repetition of that process is determined by the equipment type and by examination of the environment in which the equipment is used or working. For indicative purposes a number of different environments are provided with associated or suggested inspection/testing frequencies. These are based on the perception of the level of hazard and the degree of abuse to which the equipment is typically exposed. However, there will usually be multiple sub-environments within any location and the inspecting/testing frequency will be arrived at by an assessment of the actual environment in which the equipment is placed or used.

Words in bold in the text are defined in 1.4. When a definition concerns an adjective, the adjective and associated noun are also in bold.

AS/NZS 3760 will enable persons responsible for the safety of electrical equipment in the workplace to instigate an inspection and testing programme to achieve that aim. It also enables persons undertaking the inspection and testing to carry out the task in a safe and effective manner.

Edition 1 AS 3760:1990. Edition 2 AS/NZS 3760:1996. Edition 3 AS/NZS 3760:2000. Edition 4 AS/NZS 3760:2001. Edition 5 AS/NZS 3760:2003. Edition 6 AS/NZS 3760:2010. Reissued incorporating Amendment No. 1 (April 2011). Reissued incorporating Amendment No. 2 (December 2012)