Both are covered by test tags, both feel like “the same thing” to office staff, and mixing them up is one of the most common compliance gaps we find. AS/NZS 3551 and AS/NZS 3760 are two different standards, with different testing requirements, and using the wrong one can leave a facility non-compliant even though every item in the building has a current-looking tag on it.
The Two Standards, Explained
AS/NZS 3551 is the standard for medical electrical equipment — devices that are used for diagnosis, treatment or monitoring of patients, or that are connected to biomedical equipment. It sets more rigorous testing requirements (earth continuity, insulation resistance, leakage current, and more) because a fault in this equipment can directly affect patient safety.
AS/NZS 3760 is the general “test and tag” standard for ordinary electrical appliances — office equipment, kitchen appliances, power tools, and anything else that isn’t classified as medical equipment. It’s a lighter-touch visual and electrical test aimed at general workplace electrical safety, not patient safety specifically.
What Determines Which Standard Applies
The classification comes down to what the device is used for and what it’s connected to, not what it looks like. A laptop or printer sitting on an office desk is tested under AS/NZS 3760. The same laptop, if it’s connected to and used as part of a biomedical system — for example, driving an ultrasound machine or an audiometer — needs to be tested under AS/NZS 3551 instead, because it’s now part of a medical electrical system.
This trips a lot of facilities up: a device doesn’t have to look “medical” to require AS/NZS 3551 testing. What matters is its role.
Why the Distinction Matters
Getting this wrong in either direction causes real problems. Testing medical equipment under AS/NZS 3760 alone under-tests it — the AS/NZS 3760 visual/electrical check doesn’t cover the earth continuity, insulation resistance and leakage current testing that AS/NZS 3551 requires, so a device could pass a 3760 test and still be non-compliant (and unsafe) as medical equipment. Going the other way and testing every general appliance under AS/NZS 3551 isn’t dangerous, just an unnecessary cost — most facilities run both testing regimes side by side, with the right standard applied per device.
For accreditation purposes (NSQHS, RACGP/AGPAL/QIP, Aged Care Quality Standards), assessors expect to see equipment tested against the correct standard for its classification, not just “a tag on everything.”
How Nova Biomedical Helps
When we test a facility, we classify equipment correctly up front rather than defaulting everything to one standard. That means your medical electrical equipment gets the full AS/NZS 3551 testing it needs, and your general appliances are tested efficiently under AS/NZS 3760 — all on one visit, one schedule, and one set of compliance records. See our electrical safety testing page for the full scope of our AS/NZS 3551 work.
FAQ
Can the same technician test both standards in one visit?
Yes — we classify each item on site and apply the correct standard, so there’s no need for separate bookings for medical equipment and general appliances.
What if we’ve been testing medical equipment under AS/NZS 3760 only?
It’s a common gap, and worth fixing before an accreditation survey rather than during one. Get in touch and we’ll reclassify and bring your testing up to the correct standard.
Does a device connected to medical equipment always need AS/NZS 3551 testing?
If it’s functioning as part of a medical electrical system — for example, a computer driving diagnostic equipment — yes. A general appliance that just happens to be in the same room, with no functional connection to medical equipment, stays under AS/NZS 3760.
Get Your Equipment Correctly Classified and Tested
Not sure which of your equipment falls under which standard? Get in touch and we’ll sort it as part of your next testing visit.
