PAT TESTING – YOUR GUIDE TO OUR SERVICES

PAT TESTING, or PORTABLE APPLIANCE TESTING, (also ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE TESTING) must be undertaken in order for Companies and organisations to fully comply with the Electricity At Work Regulations. PAT Testing is required for Health & Safety reasons because, during everyday use, electrical appliances can become worn or damaged and subsequently pose an Electric Shock Hazard to users or a potential Fire Risk to a building.

In order to prevent appliances becoming unsafe a proper maintenance schedule is essential for businesses and organisations. PAT Testing is a documented system of electrical maintenance which companies are required to undertake periodically on all their portable appliances.

What exactly are Portable Appliances?

Portable Appliances are items of electrical equipment that can be moved from area to area and are connected to the supply via a plug and socket system. Basically every item within your premises with a plug will need testing.

Why Do Portable Electrical Appliances Need Testing?

Important reasons for carrying out Portable Appliance Testing include:

• Adherence to the Health & Saftety at Work Act 1974
• Compliance with the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989
• Miminise Fire Risks due to faulty/ damaged electrical equipment
• Minimise Electric Shock Hazards due to faulty/ damaged electrical equipment
• Insurance companies cannot dispute claims for damage through fire because of insufficient electrical maintenance
• The ISO 9000 Quality Assurance Standard requires all companies to comply with the Health and Safety requirements
• Maintain the safety of employees, visitors and customers

How Often Is PAT TESTING Carried Out?

Generally we advise that PAT Testing should be carried out annually.  However it does depend on the workplace environment and the type of use received by the equipment which is to be tested. For example, car workshop tools may be more susceptible to damage than a computer monitor in an office.  If you need guidance regarding frequency of testing then contact us at SR ELECTRICS and we can assist you in choosing the correct periods between testing.

How Can You Tell If PAT TESTING Has Been Carried Out And When It Is Next Due?

If PAT Testing has been performed on an appliance then there should be a label clearly displayed on the appliance or the plug.

If there is no evidence of labelling on the electrical equipment within your premises then it is likely that PAT Testing is required as soon as possible. If this is the case then please contact us now for advice. If you find that there are Electrical Safety Test labels on your equipment just check the test due date to verify whether testing is due or imminent. If you discover that testing is due then please contact us now to arrange a re-test.

What Tests Are Performed During a Portable Appliance Test?

When carrying out Portable Appliance Testing the SR ELECTRICS engineer will perform the following standard series of tests on each appliance where applicable:

• Full visual inspection
• Insulation resistance test
• Earth continuity test to test the appliance is correctly earthed
• Earth leakage current test
• Functional test to ensure correct and safe operation of the appliance
• All items with a plug are tested using calibrated test equipment.
• A full report and certification is produced for your files indicating the results of the individual tests.
• All tested items are labelled with an electrical safety pass sticker showing date of test, a unique item number and date of next test. This will ensure that the item can be tracked and provides a clear indication of its pass / fail status.
• Failed items (items deemed dangerous – i.e electric shock or fire hazards) are removed from use, labelled and any necessary action required is discussed with the site manager for the Health & Safety of users.

Does PORTABLE APPLIANCE TESTING Disrupt Business?

At SR ELECTRICS we pride ourselves on having well trained and organised test engineers who will endeavour to work around you in order to minimise disruption during testing.  If an appliance is in constant use and cannot be isolated from the mains then a visual inspection will be carried out in order to prevent disruption. (For example computer servers and medical equipment). We understand that it is vital that any potential downtime for our clients is kept to an absolute minimum.

How Much Does PAT TESTING Cost?

SR ELECTRICS is an experienced and fully qualified organisation. Our test engineers have had rigorous training, and are experienced with the use of the most up-to-date equipment, to ensure that all of our clients receive the most competitively priced and best quality PAT Testing service available in the UK.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to get in touch. You can contact us by phone, email or just click on the following link to take you to our Contact Form.

Click on the button below to contact us now for a free PAT Testing quotation and to find out just how much money we can save your company.

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