Electrical medical equipment

Medical equipment is a specialised type of electrical equipment. There is testing that should be followed beyond those tests required by the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002.

Stricter tests required

There are Australian Standards that have stringent testing of electrical medical equipment to heighten safety aspects of this equipment.

The following are recommended by AS/NZS 3551 Technical management programs for medical devices (non-Queensland Government link):

• protective earth test
• insulation resistance test
• earth leakage current test
• applied part leakage current test
• mains contact current test.

Also refer to:

• AS/NZS 4513:1995 Medical electrical equipment – fundamental aspects for safety (non-Queensland Government link)
• AS/NZS 3200.1.0:1998 Medical electrical equipment - general requirements for Safety (non-Queensland Government link).

Some aspects of Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 (PDF, 766 KB) also need to be considered to ensure patient safety.

Only a person deemed competent under the Electrical Safety Regulation 2002 may perform this testing.

A competent person is a person who has acquired, through training, qualification, experience or a combination of these, the knowledge and skill enabling that person to inspect and test medical equipment.