- What is Portable Appliance Testing?
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Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is an important part of a company's or individual's responsibility to health and safety. This is done using a series of specialised testing procedures on your portable appliances.
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- What does a PAT test consist of?
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We start with a visual inspection checking for:
- Damaged flexes
- Damaged plugs and equipment (overheating, burn marks, discolouration)
- Correctly wired plugs
- Correctly rated fuse
Then a series of tests (depending on the class of equipment), they may include
- Earth continuity testing
- Insulation resistance
- Polarity test
- Earth leakage test
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- What is a portable appliance?
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A portable appliance is any equipment which is powered between 40 and 240 volts and which is connected to the electrical mains through a plug, usually 13 amp, but we are also able to test both 110 volt and 240 volt wet weather equipment.
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- Do I have to get my equipment PAT tested?
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The law states that all equipment must be in a safe condition and fit for use.
With a regular maintenance schedule in place PAT Testing ensures that all equipment is safe and fit for use.
In the Health & Safety At Work Act 1974, all employers have a legal duty to provide safe plant and equipment and every employer must ensure that equipment must be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and good repair.
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- How often do my appliances have to be PAT tested?
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This will be dependant on your company's risk assessment and maintenance schedule.
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- How long will the testing take?
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We can do between 10 and 15 electrical tests per hour, this is dependant on access and availability of the items.
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- Will the testing be disruptive?
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During Portable appliance Testing we try to minimise any disruption by only disconnecting items as we test them.
We can work outside of business hours or at weekends if this helps.
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Grays Electrical are specialists in the field of Portable Appliance Testing and provide a reliable, professional service at great prices to companies, schools, letting agents and many other types of organisations.
Why You Need Your Appliances Tested
One of the first things Fire Officers and Health & Safety Inspectors usually ask to see on any inspection visit is PAT records. There are a number of additional reasons why appliances should be tested on a regular basis with the most important ones being:
- To comply with The Electricity at Work Regulations
- To comply with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
- To minimise the risk of fire and injury caused by electrical appliances (Each year about 1000 accidents at work involving electric shock or burns are reported to the Health and Safety Executive. About 30 of these are fatal).
- To satisfy your Insurance Company
- To comply with all Health & Safety requirements and ISO standards
- To comply with Quality Assurances
- As part of your Fire Risk Assessment compliance
What The Regulations Say
The UK Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 requires that “every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adopted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided”.
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1998 states “As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent so far as reasonably practicable, such danger.”
This means that employers (and the self-employed) have a duty of care to ensure that all electrical work equipment is safe, suitable for the purpose and properly maintained in good order. PAT testing is the best way you can fulfill this obligation.
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