By name: as-nzs-3012 description: "Technical reference for AS/NZS 3012:2019 (Construction and demolition site electrical). Use this skill when the user asks about construction site electrical requirements, site switchboards, temporary power, RCD protection on construction sites, or generator connections — or when an action skill needs to verify or cite specific clauses of AS/NZS 3012:2019."
AS/NZS 3012:2019 — Electrical Installations: Construction and Demolition Sites — Complete Reference
Purpose
This skill provides the complete text of AS/NZS 3012:2019, Electrical installations — Construction and demolition sites, incorporating Amendment No. 1. It enables accurate clause lookup and compliance checking against the standard's requirements for the design, installation and verification of electrical systems on construction and demolition sites.
AS/NZS 3012 supplements AS/NZS 3000 (the Wiring Rules) with additional requirements specific to construction and demolition environments. These environments present elevated electrical hazards due to the temporary nature of installations, exposure to weather and mechanical damage, and the use of portable electrical equipment in demanding conditions. The standard covers construction wiring, site switchboards, circuit protection (including mandatory RCD protection), earthing, generators, inverters, portable equipment, and importantly, the verification (inspection and testing) regime including prescribed testing intervals.
Critical Rules
- Only cite clauses that appear in the section files. Never fabricate or assume clause numbers, table numbers, or content.
- Citation format: Use "Clause X.Y.Z" for individual clauses, e.g. "Clause 2.4.6.1 of AS/NZS 3012:2019". For tables, use "Table X" e.g. "Table 6". For figures, use "Figure X.Y".
- Use conservative, factual language when describing standard requirements. Describe what the standard requires in objective terms.
- Always use Australian English spelling.
- If a clause cannot be located in these files, state this explicitly. Do not guess or reconstruct clause content.
- Distinguish between normative and informative content. Sections 1–3 and Appendices A, C, E, F, and I are normative. Appendices D, G, and H are informative. When citing appendix content, note its status.
- Relationship with AS/NZS 3000: AS/NZS 3012 supplements AS/NZS 3000 — it does not replace it. Where AS/NZS 3012 is silent on a matter, AS/NZS 3000 applies. Where AS/NZS 3012 imposes additional or different requirements, the AS/NZS 3012 requirement takes precedence for construction and demolition sites.
- Note text extraction limitations. Tables, figures, and diagrams may not be fully preserved. If a query depends on specific table data or figures, advise the user to verify against the published standard.
Section Index
| File | Section | Key Clauses | When to Read |
|---|---|---|---|
sections/section-01-scope-and-general.md |
Section 1 — Scope and General | Clauses 1.1–1.7 | Scope, application, referenced documents, definitions (Clause 1.4), abbreviations |
sections/section-02-installation.md |
Section 2 — Installation | Clauses 2.1–2.17 | Supply arrangements (Clause 2.1), maximum demand (Clause 2.2), switchboards (Clause 2.3), isolation and control (Clause 2.4), circuit protection and RCDs (Clause 2.4.6), earthing (Clause 2.5), wiring systems (Clause 2.6), socket-outlets, lighting, portable equipment, generators (Clause 2.8), transportable structures (Clause 2.9), electric vehicle charging (Clause 2.17) |
sections/section-03-verification.md |
Section 3 — Verification | Clauses 3.1–3.9 | Verification frequency and intervals (Clause 3.2, Table 6), construction wiring verification (Clause 3.3), RCD testing requirements (Clause 3.4), portable equipment testing (Clause 3.5), generator connection testing (Clause 3.6), tagging requirements (Clause 3.7.3), documentation (Clause 3.9) |
Appendix Index
| File | Appendix | Status | Content | When to Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
sections/appendix-a-domestic-housing.md |
Appendix A | Normative | Domestic housing construction | Electrical installations in domestic housing construction industry |
sections/appendix-c-switchboard-marking.md |
Appendix C | Normative | Switchboard marking | Marking switchboards to indicate live parts |
sections/appendix-d-tag-colours.md |
Appendix D | Informative | Tag colour coding | Recommended colours for test tags |
sections/appendix-e-generator-verification.md |
Appendix E | Normative | Generator RCD verification | Verification of generators with RCD protection per AS/NZS 3012 and AS/NZS 3760 |
sections/appendix-f-portable-inverters.md |
Appendix F | Normative | Portable inverter verification | Marking, documentation and verification of portable inverters |
sections/appendix-g-nz-assessment-form.md |
Appendix G | Informative | NZ assessment form | NZ-only site assessment form |
sections/appendix-h-switchboard-guide.md |
Appendix H | Informative | Switchboard arrangement guide | Guide to arrangement of switchboards and construction wiring |
sections/appendix-i-acs.md |
Appendix I | Normative | Assemblies for construction sites | ACS requirements for construction and demolition sites |
sections/appendix-j-domestic-power-nz.md |
Appendix J | NZ only | NZ domestic housing power | Construction power supply arrangements for domestic housing (NZ) |
sections/amendment-control-sheet.md |
Amendments | — | Amendment history | Changes from Amendment No. 1 |
Note: Appendix B is void (deleted).
Regulatory Standing
AS/NZS 3012 is a Category 1 — Legislatively Mandated Standard. It is called up through state and territory electrical safety legislation and WHS Regulations governing construction work. It supplements AS/NZS 3000 with additional requirements specific to construction and demolition environments, and compliance is compulsory where the standard applies.
For full regulatory context, including how this standard interacts with AS/NZS 3000 and the WHS framework, and how to frame compliance advice for different categories of standards, read ../../REGULATORY-CONTEXT.md.
Workflow
- Identify the subject matter from the user's query — is it about installation requirements, testing intervals, RCD testing, equipment verification, or compliance checking?
- For compliance framing: If the query involves regulatory consequences, gap analysis, or compliance advice, read
../../REGULATORY-CONTEXT.mdto ensure the response correctly reflects the legal weight of this standard. - Read the relevant section file(s) — consult the Section Index above. For most queries, Section 2 (installation) or Section 3 (verification) will be the primary source.
- For testing/verification queries: Read Section 3, paying particular attention to Table 6 (verification intervals) and Clause 3.4 (RCD testing).
- Cite clauses accurately from the extracted text.
- Cross-reference with AS/NZS 3000 where appropriate — AS/NZS 3012 supplements AS/NZS 3000, and many requirements (e.g. general RCD installation requirements, earthing system design) are governed by AS/NZS 3000 with AS/NZS 3012 adding construction-specific provisions.
- Cross-reference with AS/NZS 3760 for portable equipment testing methods — AS/NZS 3012 prescribes the testing intervals and AS/NZS 3760 prescribes the test methods.
Common Query Routing
| Query Topic | Primary Section(s) | Key Clauses |
|---|---|---|
| Testing intervals / verification frequency | Section 3 | Clause 3.2, Table 6 |
| RCD testing on construction sites | Section 3 | Clause 3.4 (push-button + operating time test) |
| RCD protection requirements | Section 2 | Clause 2.4.6.1 (all final sub-circuits, 30 mA) |
| Construction switchboard requirements | Section 2 | Clauses 2.3.1–2.3.5 |
| Socket-outlet requirements | Section 2 | Clauses 2.3.4, 2.6.10 |
| Generator requirements | Section 2 + Appendix E | Clauses 2.8, 2.4.6.3 |
| Portable inverter requirements | Section 2 + Appendix F | Clauses 2.8A, Appendix F |
| Earthing on construction sites | Section 2 | Clause 2.5 |
| Portable equipment testing | Section 3 | Clause 3.5 (earthing continuity, insulation resistance) |
| Test and tag requirements | Section 3 | Clause 3.7.3 (tagging), Appendix D (colours) |
| Construction wiring verification | Section 3 | Clause 3.3 |
| Domestic housing construction | Appendix A | Appendix A (normative) |
| ACS (assemblies for construction sites) | Appendix I | Appendix I (normative) |
| Documentation and records | Section 3 | Clause 3.9 |
Key Table: Verification Intervals (Table 6 Summary)
Table 6 in Section 3 prescribes maximum verification intervals. The exact table data is in sections/section-03-verification.md — always read the source file for precise values. The general structure is:
- RCDs (push-button test by user): Daily
- RCDs (operating time test by competent person): Portable: 1 month; Non-portable: 3 months
- Construction wiring and switchboards: 3 months
- Transportable structures and fixed/transportable equipment: 3 months (or 12 months for some categories)
- Portable equipment (tools, cords, extension sets, PSOAs): 3 months
Note: Hire equipment has additional requirements — inspection prior to each hire, testing at not greater than monthly intervals (Clause 3.2(c)).
Version Information
- Standard: AS/NZS 3012:2019, Electrical installations — Construction and demolition sites
- Incorporating: Amendment No. 1
- Prepared by: Joint Technical Committee EL-001, Wiring Rules
- Published: 4 November 2019 (original)
- Source: Licensed copy, text extracted from .docx conversion
Note: This skill covers AS/NZS 3012 only. For general electrical installation requirements, consult the companion as-nzs-3000 skill covering AS/NZS 3000:2018. For portable appliance testing methods and procedures, AS/NZS 3760 is the relevant standard. For WHS legislative requirements, consult the relevant whs-act-checker and whs-regulation-checker skills.