Why Test your Portable Appliances?

PAT Testing: AN INTRODUCTION

Do I need to have my items PAT tested?

There are around 1000 electrical accidents in the workplace each year, involving some 30 deaths!

The "Health and Safety at Work act" (1974) puts a duty of care upon both employer and employee to ensure the safety of all persons using the work premises.

Landlords and letting agents are also duty bound to ensure any appliances supplied as part of a tenancy are safe. Also, "The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations" 1998 requires every employer to ensure that equipment is suitable for the use for which it is provided (reg 4 (1)) and only used for work for which it is suitable (Reg 4(3)).

They require every employer to ensure equipment is maintained in good order (reg 5) and inspected as necessary to ensure it is maintained in a safe condition (reg 6).

It can be said therefore, that there is a requirement for regular inspection and testing of all electrical equipment in all work situations. It should be noted that the safety and proper functioning of certain portable appliances depends upon the integrity of the buildings fixed electrical installation.

It is equally important to establish a system for the inspection and testing of the fixed installation as well as the portable equipment used within a building. Requirements for fixed installations are given in BS 7671 and guidance can be found in IEE guidance note 3.

Frequency of In-service testing

The frequency of testing depends on a number of factors, including: -

1) Type of premises, Environment where equipment is used, The user of the equipment

2) Equipment type and construction. The IEE publishes guidelines for the initial testing frequency of appliances according to the appliance type and premises

3) Where it is to be used.

However, the most appropriate schedule can only be arrived at after repeated in-service tests. Equipment, which is found to be failing regularly, will need to be tested on a more frequent basis to ensure its safe operation. Also the opposite may be found to be the case.

Bpat can help you establish the best schedule to comply with the appropriate regulations. Also, many insurers now stipulate annual testing as a requirement for their cover. Insurers have been known to not pay out in the event of an accident being caused by untested equipment!