If you’re responsible for medical equipment compliance, one question comes up more than any other: how often does electrical safety testing actually need to happen? The answer depends on the standard your facility is testing to, the type of equipment, and how it’s used — and getting it wrong can mean turning up to an accreditation survey with an expired testing record.
The Standard: AS/NZS 3551
AS/NZS 3551 is the joint Australian/New Zealand standard covering the management, maintenance and periodic testing of medical electrical equipment. It sets out inspection and testing intervals based on the equipment’s risk classification and how frequently it’s used, rather than a single blanket interval for everything in a facility.
How Often Testing Is Typically Required
- High-use, high-risk equipment (e.g. equipment used in critical care or theatre settings) is generally tested on a shorter cycle, often annually or more frequently depending on the risk assessment.
- Lower-risk, lower-use equipment may be tested on a longer cycle, but still needs a documented, risk-based schedule rather than being left untested indefinitely.
- New equipment should be tested before first use, regardless of where it sits in the ongoing schedule.
The exact interval for a specific item should be set by a risk assessment referencing AS/NZS 3551 — see our AS/NZS 3551 electrical safety testing page for a full breakdown of what’s involved.
What Happens If You Miss a Testing Deadline
Lapsed testing records are one of the most common findings raised in accreditation surveys, whether that’s an NSQHS survey for a hospital, an AGPAL/QIP visit for a GP practice, or an Aged Care Quality Standards audit. Beyond the compliance risk, untested equipment is also a genuine safety risk to patients and staff.
How Nova Biomedical Helps
We test to AS/NZS 3551 across hospitals, GP practices, aged care facilities, mine sites and other healthcare providers, and can set up a PPM contract so your testing cycle runs on schedule without you needing to track individual due dates. See our electrical safety testing service for more detail, or explore our sector pages for hospitals, GP practices and aged care facilities.
FAQ
How do I know what testing interval applies to my equipment?
The interval should come from a documented risk assessment referencing AS/NZS 3551, taking into account the equipment’s risk classification and usage. We can advise on this as part of setting up your testing schedule.
Does new equipment need testing before it’s used?
Yes, new medical electrical equipment should be tested before first use, regardless of its place in your ongoing testing cycle.
What if we’ve missed a testing deadline?
Contact us and we’ll prioritise getting your equipment tested and your records current as quickly as possible, particularly if you have an upcoming accreditation survey.
Can you manage our testing schedule for us?
Yes, our PPM contracts bundle routine testing and calibration into scheduled visits so you don’t need to track individual due dates yourself.
Get Your Equipment Testing Schedule Sorted
Talk to us about setting up a compliant, on-schedule testing programme for your facility. Contact Nova Biomedical for a quote.
