Jarrad GouldingCEO & Founder, The Local Guys · Founder & CEO at The Local Guys - Supporting over 100 franchise partners around Australian & New Zealand in the service industry.

RCDs are a crucial piece of infrastructure found in all buildings in Australia and New Zealand

Name: RCDs are a crucial piece of infrastructure found in all buildings in Australia and New Zealand
Uploaded: 2025-12-10T02:40:28+00:00
Duration: 1 min 11 s
Channel: Jarrad Goulding
Description: Short explainer by Jarrad Goulding on residual current devices (RCDs), also called safety switches, describing their role in protecting people from…

10 Dec 2025 · 1 min

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1:11

Short explainer by Jarrad Goulding on residual current devices (RCDs), also called safety switches, describing their role in protecting people from electric shock by monitoring electrical flow and tripping on imbalances. The clip emphasizes that RCDs are mechanical and can fail, so Australian and New Zealand workplaces must regularly inspect and test RCDs to remain compliant; typical testing intervals are every six months for most workplaces and every three months for high-risk sites (e.g., construction).

Questions this video answers

Every six months.

Every three months.

Chapters

So an RCD is also known as a residual current device or a safety switch. It's a life saving device that's designed to protect people from electric shock. It constantly monitors the flow of electricity running through buildings wiring and it detects even the slightest imbalance. The RCD cuts the power in milliseconds. Under Australian and New Zealand standards, businesses are required to ensure that their electrical equipment and their RCDs are regularly inspected and tested. Why? Because RCDs are mechanical devices and they wear out, they fail, and sometimes they stop tripping when they're needed the most. Regular testing protects your staff and customers and your business from electrical hazards. It helps you stay compliant with workplace safety laws. So when we perform RCD testing, we simulate a fault, measure how quickly the RCD responds and make sure that it trips within the safe limits set by the standards. If an RCD doesn't trip fast enough or doesn't trip at all, it's considered unsafe and must be repaired or replaced immediately. Most workplaces require RCD testing every six months, but high risk environments like construction sites require testing every three months.