Portable Appliance Testing
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.
As a supplier of electrical equipment you have a legal responsibility to maintain the electrical safety of such equipment in accordance with H&S regulations and the IEE Code of Practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
‘What is portable electrical equipment?’
Generally, equipment that has a lead (cable) and plug and
which is normally moved around or can easily be moved from
place to place, eg floor cleaners, kettles, heaters, fans,
televisions, table lights.
Equipment such as hairdryers or kettles, with a permanently wired lead, also comes into this category, as does equipment that could be moved, eg photocopiers, fax machines, and desktop computers.
What about testing, is it essential?’
Not for all equipment. However, some faults cannot be seen
just by looking, particularly lack of continuous earths. For
some equipment the earth is essential to safety. Therefore all
earthed equipment, and most leads and plugs connected to
equipment, should also have an occasional combined
inspection and test to look for these and other faults.
Combined inspection and testing can be carried out at the start of a maintenance system to establish the initial condition of the equipment.
‘Does the combined inspection and test have to be carried out by an electrician?’
Not necessarily. A member of staff can do this if they have had
suitable training. Greater knowledge and experience is needed
than for inspection alone, and they need to have the right
equipment to do the tests. They should know how to use the
equipment correctly and how to interpret the results.
Where to start?
- A vital part of the PAT test procedure is the visual inspection. You must be able to FULLY inspect the plug, body of the appliance and ENTIRE length of the supply lead.
- Before performing a PAT test on the unit you must ensure that the socket supplying it is electrically safe by carrying out a socket test. If this fails then the PAT test must not be performed.
Pass/Fail Procedure
When all aspects of the test have been completed you must clearly label the equipment accordingly.
If any aspect of the PAT test fails then you must remove the plug from the equipment and tape the supply lead to the side of the equipment using black and yellow hazard tape. The site appointed H&S Officer should be informed of the outcome and a copy of the inspection record left with them
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