Welcome to a brand new year! 2025 is here and it's already gearing up to be a big one for the test and tag industry. Regardless of what you're currently doing, there's no better time to get stuck into what's happening.
This month, our test and tag experts are diving into key predictions for the year ahead, including how AI could affect the industry, essential tips for testing in tough environments and other critical updates that all test and tag business owners need to know.
Predictions for 2025: What’s next for Test & Tag?
The Role of AI and Test & Tag
It’s already making waves in other industries, but is 2025 the year AI starts to make its mark on the test and tag industry? While it’s still very early days, the potential for AI to transform the industry is high and the potential is huge. Let’s discuss where AI might actually end up and what it could mean for testing and tagging.
Smarter scheduling
One of the biggest challenges for anyone testing and tagging is managing time efficiently, so having AI-powered software to control work schedules makes a lot of sense. So it doesn’t just manage your calendar, but actively learns from your historical testing data, equipment usage and site requirements. It could predict optimal testing times, alert you to any compliance deadlines and even help businesses schedule jobs with minimal disruption.
This would undoubtedly take out a lot of the guesswork. In our opinion, it’s not hard to imagine it becoming a standard tool in the near future.
Enhanced reporting
Not many people personally enjoy reporting, but it is necessary. But what if AI could handle this for you?
With reports handled by AI, we could see a future where test data is logged faster and more accurately, automatically formatted for audits and then customised for each individual client. It would save a huge amount of time and ensure mistakes are picked up. But the question is – will AI go a step further and allow businesses to gain insights from this data? This could be identifying trends in failed tests or perhaps predicting maintenance requirements before equipment fails.
Productivity tracking
For test and tag businesses, AI could bring a new level of transparency to their operations. By tracking individual user testing results in real time, AI could essentially provide insights into productivity, accuracy and even potential training gaps.
Think about it – AI might show patterns you didn’t even know existed, like whether a specific type of appliance is frequently tested incorrectly, or if certain appliance testers are significantly faster (or slower) at specific tasks. There’s no doubt that any test and tag business would want this to help maximise their operations and processes.
Can AI be embedded into PAT Testers?
This is where it could be really exciting. Could we see AI directly integrated into PAT Testers themselves? The possibilities give us mixed emotions:
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Smarter testing is certainly possible - AI could recognise appliance categories just by being plugged in, adjust testing parameters automatically from on-site requirements or even identify anomalies in test results that go beyond current capabilities.
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Hands-free operation such as voice-controlled testers could allow users to initiate tests and log results without lifting a finger effectively. This would be quite useful for environments where efficiency is vital.
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Real-time diagnostics is a possibly, whereby an appliance tester monitors its own performance and giving you more detailed information and alerts around calibration issues, internal faults or even maintenance needs.
While this level of innovation in portable appliance testers is probably still a fair bit away, we see AI playing a central role in making testing and tagging faster, safer and more accurate. And for those reasons alone - it’s a great thing.
Businesses Continuing to Prioritise Test & Tag
We touched on this in our December update - more businesses are becoming aware of compliance and workplace safety, which has then lead test and tag demand growing.
With regulations continuing to get tighter and greater push to reduce risks in the workplace, this increased awareness will likely drive the need for more test and tag professionals.
But we’ve also previously said that there isn’t enough test and taggers to meet the demand. So will businesses look to bring testing and tagging in-house to gain more control, or will the number of test and tag franchises and sole traders continue to rise? It’ll be interesting to see how it unfolds this year.
Essential Test & Tag Accessories
You might have remembered we looked at the top PAT Testers of 2024 in our previous edition. This time, we’re shifting the focus to the must-have test and tag accessories - the ones that the experts swear by and must always have on-hand.
We spoke to a variety of test and tag experts and there was a consensus on which accessories are essential. While some seem obvious to you, others might surprise you.
An item which was unanimously voted up top was our trusty friend and humble Tag Remover. Not only is a dirt cheap, but it also protects cords from damage when removing old test tags. You simply can’t go without this humble gadget.
Having spares on-hand was also non-negotiable. This included batteries, fuses, leads, EPOD’s etc. Why did they make the list? Because if something goes wrong when you’re on-site, having spares could mean the difference between completing a job or facing downtime. For test and tag service providers, this is a no-brainer.
Depending on the nature of your work, there are many other accessories you must have. But the key takeaway is being prepared, as missing a small accessory could end up giving you a bad day.
To see the full list of accessories chosen, check out the Top 5 Test & Tag Accessories.
Practical Advice for Testing in Difficult Environments
If you caught our deep dive into Test & Tag on mining sites, you’ll know how challenging these environments can be. For those who missed it (or want a quick recap), here are the essential insights for tackling tough environments like mining sites:
The right gear absolutely matters, as the functionality of your tester will generally determine how effective you can test and tag. A reliable appliance tester with RCD-testing, 3 phase functionality and record keeping is essential. Basic testers generally won’t cut it in industries like mining where compliance and reporting are a must.
The right test tags for the job – in this case, Heavy Duty Test Tags (with self-laminating flaps for protecting the written information) are very popular. For printable tags, Thermal Transfer is the way to go in harsh conditions, as they’re built to withstand extreme temperatures and UV exposure.
Dust is your enemy, especially in mining sites. Red dust can cause massive problems with your PAT Tester, which then lead to calibration issues and costly downtime. This is why we suggest protective coverings and regular calibrations to ensure your gear stays in good shape.
For the full breakdown of tips, recommended PAT Testers and staying compliant, check out our Testing and Tagging Guide for Mining Sites.
New Wage Theft Laws
With the introduction of National Wage Theft Laws as of January 1st, once again compliance has been thrust into the spotlight. So what does it mean for test and tag businesses?
Under these new laws, withholding wages or deliberately underpaying workers is now a criminal offence. There consequences are extremely severe, including hefty fines and imprisonment.
For test and tag business owners, many of whom run smaller operations, it’s important to understand these laws and ensure workers are paid correctly. For anyone wanting to report a business, there are mechanisms in place already, with Fair Work offering confidentiality and support.
Your Guide to What’s Coming Next
With so much happening already, it’s shaping up to be an exciting year for the test and tag industry. As the largest Test & Tag Training provider in Australia and New Zealand, we’re committed to keeping you informed and prepared.
You can count on us bringing you regular updates, practical tips and the latest industry news all year long. Because when it comes to testing and tagging - we’ll always be leading the charge. If you're wanting to be the first to receive our updates, make sure you subscribe in the link below!
Here’s to safe, successful and productive 2025 - we’ve got your back!