PAT testing is a core principle that many businesses and property owners should understand and undertake. It is important that all companies ensure they know the laws and regulations regarding health and safety of portable electrical appliances.
By being aware of your responsibility, it helps to keep your consumers, employees and premises protected from harm’s way. Electrical safety is a serious problem in the UK and electrical appliances can be hazardous.
According to the Electrical Safety Council, at least one person dies each week in their own home, while 350,000 people are seriously injured annually. Electrical accidents cause almost half of all house fires so it is imperative that you take care of you firm’s appliances and machinery to reduce the risk of mishaps.
So what exactly is PAT testing and how can it improve your business? Here is a guide to the much-needed inspection process.
What is PAT testing?
PAT testing is short for Portable Appliance Testing and basically it is the maintenance, inspection and testing of all electrical pieces of apparatus. Legislation states that all landlords and employers should assess appliances to make sure they meet safety requirements; the law requires that they are safe to use and are maintained properly.
But it is not legally required to have the examination done. However, it is vital to keep everyone within the business safe from danger and therefore PAT testing is recommended.
What does it involve?
The tester examines the top of the plug of all appliances as well as the cord grip, polarity and termination tightness to ensure no damage has occurred. The casing will also be inspected to make sure there are no cracks of defects and if there are any holes in the appliance, these cannot be any larger than 6mm in radius.
There are different divisions of equipment that are tested and these can be categorised into three classes.
• Class 1; this is all equipment connected from the mains such as computers or heaters.
• Class 2; this includes all apparatus that doesn’t have exposed metal and contains two different layers of insulation.
• Class 3; this is all appliances that operate from power suppliers less than 50v AC, have no metal work and basic insulation such as laptops or mobile phones.
What are the Advantages?
• Protect clients, staff and premises from electrical accidents
• Ensure appliance is not damaged due to age or overuse
• Regular assessment shows good routine practice
• Boost’s brand’s reputation and image
Who Can Do PAT Testing?
It is important you only user a qualified PAT tester. You can either find a local company that specialises in electrical appliance inspecting services or you can perform your own testing and undergo training to earn the right credentials.
However, it can be more cost-effective to hire an expert to do the PAT testing on their own. Gaining certification is costly and if only one person is qualified to do it, this can be a downfall if they are absent.
Generally, the price will depend on how many appliances you have that need to be tested. Most firms charge by the appliance and the typical cost is around £1 to £2 for each appliance whereas others have hourly rates.
Further Information
This article was written by visit PAT.org.uk; the specialist website for all the information and services you need on PAT testing.
