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PAT TESTING EXPLAINEDClick any link that follows to jump to the content of that section of this page: Why do I need to carry out PAT Testing?Portable Appliance Testing, or PAT Testing, is a common service to maintain electrical appliances. The Electricity At Work Regulations, 1989 cover every kettle, fax, copier, computer, extension lead, etc., including 110V equipment, in a business or public place. In fact, if it is electrical and has a plug on it, whether it is in regular use or not, then it must be maintained safely. What do you need PAT testing to deliver?This PAT testing explained page hopefully will help us to get focussed on what really matters in PAT testing!!! So you want PAT testing explained, right? Or maybe, you don’t – in fact what you really want is 2 things – first you may want COMPLIANCE. Say you have been asked by your insurance company to tick that box! Or maybe you need to comply because a venue has told you “no admittance” unless they see a certificate. But what you really want is SAFETY, although I would suggest that what you really want is BOTH. If I was drill manufacturer trying to sell you drills, that’s what you want, isn’t it? A drill? Not so – what you actually want is a “hole”. So it’s the same with PAT testing – who actually wants someone to come round with a computer in a box and take all your leads and test them, then put them all back? Not many people I know. You may have had a PAT regime for years, and you know it ought to be done – that’s good. But what do you really want? Some companies will give you COMPLIANCE - you get a piece of paper at the end – great. But do you get SAFETY as well? Not always. It depends how the testing is done, and how quickly. At KTS Ltd we offer a combination of COMPLIANCE and SAFETY. We think SAFETY is more important than jumping through hoops to get what you want. If there is one lead, one appliance, or one “thing” out of 10,000 that is going to cause damage, a shock, or a fire, we want to find it, and we think it’s important to find it. The Law regarding PAT testingContrary to popular belief, there is no legal requirement to have the electrical equipment in either the workplace or, in the case of any landlord or company-supplied electrical equipment in rented accommodation or residential care homes etc., PAT Tested*. However, as we shall see, it is indeed a legal requirement that such electrical equipment, and in particular the items being used in the workplace are, in simple terms, 'safe, well-maintained and suitable for the purpose for which it is being used' - at all times. It is not the inspection and testing that is the legal requirement, but the fact that the electrical equipment, at all times, must be 'safe, well-maintained and suitable for the purpose for which it is being used'. And the penalties for non-compliance can be severe: in certain cases, unlimited fines and imprisonment, not to mention the harm done to someone in the event of a serious electric shock, or the damage done to property in the case of a fire (more than 2,500 people are either killed or injured as a result of electrical fires in the UK every year, and more than thirty people are directly killed by electric shock).The only way that we can determine whether electrical equipment is 'safe, well-maintained and suitable for the purpose for which it is being used' (the legal requirement), is if it is routinely, formally visually-inspected and instrument-tested ('PAT Tested'). Therefore, PAT Testing is implicit in the need to ensure that such equipment, at the time of the inspection and testing at least, is indeed 'safe, well-maintained and suitable for the purpose for which it is being used'. Look across the room now at a piece of electrical equipment, perhaps a computer, water cooler, toaster, fridge, etc. Can you tell if its earth wire is internally in contact with the exposed metal work? How good is the insulation? What state are the wires inside the plug? Are the live and neutral wires reversed at either the plug end or inside the appliance? (the appliance would still function with 'reversed polarity', but it is potentially very dangerous). Is that slight shock that you and your colleagues get from that fridge several times a week really just static? Without formal visual inspection and testing, how can we know if equipment is safe, whether it needs to be repaired or disposed of, or otherwise appropriately dealt with? In other words, whether it is compliant with legislation. *NB. There is just one exception to this: Regulation 6 of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) requires that equipment has to be 'inspected' in work situations where the safety of the equipment depends specifically on the installation conditions, and, in particular, where conditions are liable to lead to deterioration. This is a very specific requirement, for a very specific situation, and yet even here, there is no mention of the word 'testing'. PAT Testing FactsThere are many myths and misunderstandings about PAT testing – who should do it, how often, why it is done, and whether it is the law. It is certainly true to say that PAT testing or portable appliance testing is an important part of any health & safety policy. The Health & Safety Executive states that 25% of all reportable electrical accidents involve portable appliances. The Electricity at Work Regulations place a legal responsibility on employers, employees and self-employed persons to comply with the provisions of the regulations and take reasonably practicable steps to ensure that no danger results from the use of such equipment. This in effect requires the implementation of a systematic and regular program of maintenance, inspection and testing. The Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) places such an obligation in the following circumstances:1. Where appliances are used by employees.2. Where the public may use appliances in establishments such as hospitals, schools, hotels, shops etc.3. Where appliances are supplied or hired.4. Where appliances are repaired or serviced. The level of inspection and testing required is dependant upon the risk of the appliance becoming faulty, which is in turn dependant upon the type of appliance, the nature of its use and the environment in which it is used.The Institution of Electrical Engineers publish the "Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment" (ISBN: 978-0-86341-833-4) . This guide forms the basis for portable appliance testing in the U.K. In truth this publication is by far the best publication, as HSE guidelines are not as concise in regard to PAT testing. PAT testing is NOT on the statute books, so for example you cannot be fined for not carrying it out, but any responsible person within an organisation, large or small, SHOULD insist on a PAT regime at regular intervals to ensure SAFETY and not just COMPLIANCE – in other words, its all very well to have the piece of paper in your hand, but has the job been done properly? BUT: Fines can be imposed if an accident happens and a PAT regime is not in place. Your insurance company may also be void, and duty holders or responsible people should check with their insurance company to find out what is expected in terms of frequency of testing, and this is often the best advice we can give. PAT Testing MythsOne of the main myths about PAT testing is that when a company receives it’s PAT certificate, it means that everything in their place of work is safe – it doesn’t necessarily mean that, although it SHOULD. Duty holders and responsible people within an organisation should ensure that proper visual checks are being carried out on leads particularly, as some PAT engineers are in a race to notch up as many tests as they can in a day due to low unit prices being offered. A busy workstation with inaccessible leads and difficult partitions cannot be tested in double quick time without sacrifices to quality inspections. We would suggest that 100-130 tests a day per engineer is a good figure. Remember, do you want SAFETY, or COMPLIANCE? The answer should be BOTH! PAT testing does not need to be carried out necessarily every year, it is you, the duty holder or responsible person, who makes that decision, based on the type of appliances, environment, budget, and so on. A blanket test may suit the budget, or just be easier, even though some of those appliances may not need an annual test, simply because by having a company in to test only certain appliances, could in fact be more costly over time, from call outs etc., and it is more difficult to keep records. KTS Ltd is happy to quote for whatever is required in this regard, for example a part test in an office environment. In-house PAT testing is carried out by some organisations. Assuming the person carrying this out is competent, this is fine, but even with a 2377 City & Guilds certificate; the person may not be competent if only testing 1 or 2 days per year, rather than testing regularly. In Service Electrical Safety Testing Checklist• Establish an electrical tool, equipment and appliance register, preferably using a safety testing software program • Carry out regular visual inspections • Nominate a 'dutyholder' with responsibility for the safety of electrical equipment - ensure ‘dutyholder' is fully trained • Commit to regular inspection and test program and determine the frequency of testing in consultation with IEE recommendations • Ensure tests are carried out in keeping with the frequency of testing plan • Establish a formal record keeping system, file or software • Determine a re-test schedule well in advance Back to Top or click here for advice on choosing your Pat testing supplier  
Our Committment to Quality
Part of our commitment to our client is to ensure that we are thorough, bearing in mind all that we have stated above. Cables and appliances that cannot be reached or examined for whatever reason will not be passed. We will immediately explain to the duty holder or responsible person that we cannot test a certain appliance, and discuss a solution. We are sure that you will find this professional approach and thoroughness refreshing, as we do strive to exceed expectations wherever possible. Sadly in this industry where there are engineers who are not carrying out proper visual examinations and doing the job too quickly, This is robbing you, the client, of the proper service you deserve. Copyright 2011 KTS ltd. All rights reserved. Sign up to our FREE Ezine |
