Services

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

PA Safety Services aim to give the best PAT testing service to enable our customers to fulfil their obligations with regard to equipment safety. Portable appliance testing is vital to protect your business and its employees.

Electrical safety obligations are not limited to businesses, landlords are also responsible for ensuring the regular testing of all appliances they provide for their tenants. Testing requirements includes:

• Computers, monitors and peripherals requiring mains power.
• Audio and telephone equipment requiring mains power.
• Kettles, microwave ovens and other kitchen appliances.
• Vacuum cleaners.
• Extension leads.

PA Safety Services use the latest PAT equipment to test both 230V and 110V appliances and all our in house engineers are City and Guilds 2377 qualified.

As specialists in PAT testing, we are best placed to help you comply with your legal obligations. All our testing is carried out in accordance with The Institute of Electrical Engineers' (IEE) code of practice. We are also a City and Guilds approved training centre offering the following course:

• City and Guilds 2377-12 Inspection and testing of electrical equipment

Pat Testing in the UK

In the United Kingdom, Portable Appliance Testing is a process by which electrical appliances are routinely checked to see if they are safe. When people work with electrical appliances, Health and safety regulations say the appliance must be safe.

Testing Frequency

Testing should be carried out at regular intervals to ensure continual safety. The interval between tests depending on both the type of appliance and the environment it is used in.

Pat Testing Evidence

Many people will have seen evidence of portable appliance testing around their offices by means of stickers being present on tested electrical items.
Many people assume (incorrectly) that all appliances have to be tested every year, but this is not the case. All that (British) law requires is that the appliances are safe (as far as is reasonably practicable). However, guidance from the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggest intervals for inspection and testing, ranging from 3 months (for construction equipment) to 4 years (computers in offices).

Meaning of "PAT Testing"

Portable Appliance Testing is abbreviated to 'PAT'. The correct term for the whole process is 'In-service Inspection & Testing of Electrical Equipment'.

Which products do we have to PAT Test?

Anything electrical that can be moved has to be maintained. The reason for this is that most damage occurs to a power cord or plug and the chances of this happening are higher if the appliance can be moved. So not only small portable appliances have to be tested, equipment such as fridge freezers and washing machines need to be Pat Tested. Handheld items such as drills and hair dryers can suffer damage more easily. For this reason they are maintained more frequently than stationary items such as fridge freezers.

PAT Testing Legal Requirements

The primary relevant Health and Safety Regulations in force in the UK are:

Electricity at Work Regulations 1989

• Regulation 3 / 1 It shall be the duty of every employer and self-employed person to comply with these regulations so far as they relate to matters in his control.
• Regulation 3 / 2 It shall be the duty of every employee to cooperate with his employer to comply with the provisions of these regulations.
• Regulation 4 / 2 All systems shall be maintained so far as to prevent as far as reasonably practicable danger.

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

• Regulation 6 / 1 Every employer shall ensure that where the safety of work equipment depends on installation conditions it is inspected:
  a) after installation.
  b) relocation.
• Regulation 6 / 2 Every employer shall ensure that work equipment liable to result in dangerous situations is inspected at suitable intervals to ensure that health and safety conditions are maintained and that any deterioration can be detected and remedied in good time.
• Regulation 6 / 3 Every employer shall ensure that the results of an inspection is recorded and kept until the next inspection.

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

• Regulation 3 / 1 Every employer and self-employed person should make suitable assessment of the risk associated with his appliances to his staff and the public and record the significant findings.

For further information on PA Safety Services conducting PAT Testing or to discuss your individual requirements please contact our office on 01935 412545 or alternatively email admin@pasafetyservices.co.uk