How often does a medical or dental room need electrical testing?

Body-protected areas have to be inspected and tested at intervals not exceeding 12 months under AS/NZS 3003. In practice that means once a year, every year, for every treatment room, surgery and procedure room that is a patient area.

The test checks the 10 mA RCDs, earthing, the protected outlets and the labelling, and the date goes on the test label on the green sign in the room. That label is the easiest way to see if a room is due: more than 12 months old means it is overdue.

Alterations in the room should not go ahead unless it has been tested within the last 12 months, and a new room is tested before it is put into service. Appliance test and tag (AS/NZS 3760) is a separate thing again, with its own intervals.