# Test equipment management in the workshop: what it involves

> Which tools in a vehicle workshop need regular testing, where the requirements come from and how to keep due dates and calibration certificates under control.

## What counts as test equipment?

Test equipment is any tool or device whose reading or setting determines the quality of a repair. In a vehicle workshop this includes:

- torque wrenches and torque screwdrivers
- callipers, micrometers and dial gauges
- multimeters and insulation testers, for example for high-voltage vehicles
- exhaust gas analysers and headlight aiming devices
- brake testers and air-conditioning service units

Test equipment differs from ordinary tools in one respect: it needs proof that it measures correctly – and that proof has an expiry date.

## Where the requirements come from

There is no single rule covering all test equipment. Requirements come from several directions:

- **Quality management:** under ISO 9001, measuring equipment must be calibrated or verified at specified intervals, its status must be identifiable and the results must be retained (clause 7.1.5 of the standard).
- **Manufacturers and importers:** franchised workshops usually receive their own specifications for which devices must be tested and how often. This is checked during audits.
- **Standards for individual tools:** for torque tools, ISO 6789 recommends recalibration after 12 months or 5,000 cycles, whichever comes first, unless another interval is specified.
- **Health and safety:** electrical equipment is also subject to periodic inspection. Type, scope and intervals are set by the business in its risk assessment, in line with national rules.
- **Emission testing:** workshops that carry out emission tests need gas analysers with valid calibration or verification.

This guide is an overview and not legal advice. What counts are your manufacturer agreements, your quality management system and your risk assessment.

## What every item of test equipment needs

- a unique identifier (inventory number, label) so that record and device match
- the test interval and the next due date
- the result of the last test with date, tester or testing service and readings
- the calibration certificate as a file
- a visible status on the device, such as an inspection sticker
- a block notice if the due date has passed or the test was failed

## Due dates that announce themselves

The most common problem is not the test itself but the forgotten date. A list in a folder or a spreadsheet does not remind anyone. What works:

1. **Advance warning:** 30 days before expiry the device appears on a list so the testing service can be booked in time.
2. **Combined appointment:** have devices with similar dates tested together to save call-out costs.
3. **Block when overdue:** an overdue device is no longer issued, or only with a clear warning.
4. **Postpone with a reason:** if a device is out of service, the due date can be postponed deliberately – as long as this is documented.

## Think of issuing and testing together

A device that is on loan cannot go for calibration. That is why issuing and test intervals belong in the same system: whoever issues a device sees immediately whether its test is still valid, and before the test date it is clear who has the device.

## Frequently asked questions

### How often does a torque wrench need calibrating?

Unless another interval is specified, ISO 6789 recommends recalibration after 12 months or 5,000 cycles, whichever comes first. Manufacturers and your own quality management may require shorter intervals.

### What belongs in a test record?

The device identifier, the date, the tester or testing service, the result with readings, the next due date and the calibration certificate as a file.

### May test equipment be used after its due date?

No. Without valid proof it is not established that it measures correctly. It should be blocked, or issued only with a clear warning, until the test has been carried out.

## How Tulz handles it

In Tulz, every tool can have a test interval – preset per category, adjustable per tool. Due and overdue tests are shown in colour on an advance-warning list and arrive by email. The test record stores the result, readings and calibration certificate, a due date can be postponed with a reason, and Tulz flags expired tests when a tool is issued.

Guides in the help centre: [Inspections](https://tulz.work/en/help/article/inspections) · [Correct an inspection](https://tulz.work/en/help/article/correct-an-inspection) · [Test equipment note when issuing](https://tulz.work/en/help/article/test-equipment-note-when-issuing)

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Source: https://tulz.work/en/guides/inspection-equipment-monitoring · As of 2026-10-05 · Tulz