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What is PAT testing?
Portable appliance testing (PAT) is a safety check of all electrical appliances with a plug in compliance with and health and safety law. It is the the responsibilty of business owners to ensure the electrical equipment they provide is safe for use. PAT testing your electrical appliances is also a good control measure to add to your workplace fire risk assessment as it shows the business owner has took a proactive approach to health and safety in the workplace.
PAT testing should only be carried out by a trained and competent person. The PAT test consists of a visual inspection of the plug and the equipment it feeds. This is done by opening up the plug and checking the wiring and the fuse whilst also inspecting the equipment for burn or scorch marks. If the appliance has an earth it will be tested through a special PAT test machine as a class 1 item. Appliances without an earth are tested as a class 2. Leads, extension sockets and multi-sockets are tested separately.
Once PAT testing has been carried out, you should then have an equipment register of all the tested electrical appliances at your place of work along with the test results and a PAT test certificate.
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We guarantee that each PAT test is undertaken with very utmost care and attention. Redlander PAT Testing currently services the City of Birmingham, Bromsgrove and Redditch. We are also available in the greater West Midlands region. We are City & Guilds qualified, meaning you can trust our services.
WHAT WILL YOUR PAT TEST INCLUDE?
- A visual inspection of the appliance, flex and plug top itself. We will look for signs of over heating and damages.
- Each plug top is opened. We will then inspect the fuse and tighten up any loose connections.
- Electrical tests. We will put each of your appliances through a series of tests. These will ensure that they’re properly earthed and insulated.
- Labels. We will put a label on each appliance indicating either a pass or a fail, including a test date, retest date and an appliance ID.
- Records. Redlander PAT Testing Birmingham will issue a detailed record for each appliance that has been tested. This will include an inventory summary.
WHAT AREAS DOES YOUR BUSINESS COVER?
We offer our PAT Testing services throughout Birmingham, Bromsgrove and Redditch. We can also cover the West Midlands, but mileage may be incurred depending on distance.
Each of our PAT Tests include the following:
- Free mileage within Birmingham, Bromsgrove and Redditch.
- Labels for all appliances.
- Replacement of damaged plug tops or fuses.
- Free minor repairs to plug top wiring.
- Detailed records.
WHO CAN PAT TEST?
The IEE code of practise 5th edition states that in order to carry out Portable Appliance Testing, the tester must be competent. In order to be competent you must have the combination of training, skills, knowledge, experience and the ability to apply them to perform a task safely. This can be achieved by completing the City & Guilds course 2377-22 In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical equipment level 3.
Some businesses and companies may opt to train somebody in-house and send them on a training course. However, this isn’t always economically viable. An full course will take three days to complete, then there is the cost of buying all the machinery, adaptors and PAT test labels.
You run the risk of loosing that trained person in the future and an inexperienced PAT tester will take nearly three times longer to test all of the electrical appliances and so productivity is greatly reduced whilst they are busy PAT testing. This is why a lot of business owners pay experienced and trained PAT testers to test all of their electrical appliances as this causes less disruption to operations.
WHAT NEEDS PAT TESTING?
This is not as complicated as it sounds. Basically, any electrical appliance that has a plug and is intended to be connected to a wall socket or generator needs to be PAT tested. This includes items such as all I.T equipment, kettles, hair dryers and radios. It includes bigger items such as fridges, photocopiers and vending machines.
All 110v volt equipment most commonly found on building and construction sites needs to be PAT tested to. Items that run off of a battery such as laptops and drills do not need to be PAT tested but the battery chargers will need to be.
To be PAT tested, the electrical appliance will need to be switched off so that the plug can be opened and inspected as well as tested on a PAT testing machine. This is not always possible for some equipment such as computer servers and CCTV equipment. In this case it is advisable to get these items PAT tested during a shutdown or maintenance period.
Some businesses and companies may opt to train somebody in-house and send them on a training course. However, this isn’t always economically viable. An full course will take three days to complete, then there is the cost of buying all the machinery, adaptors and PAT test labels.
You run the risk of loosing that trained person in the future and an inexperienced PAT tester will take nearly three times longer to test all of the electrical appliances and so productivity is greatly reduced whilst they are busy PAT testing. This is why a lot of business owners pay experienced and trained PAT testers to test all of their electrical appliances as this causes less disruption to operations.
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PAT TESTING – HOW OFTEN?
There is no definite regulation to determine how often PAT testing should be carried out. This is because it is down to the business owners risk assessment to quantify how often PAT testing should be done to ensure that the work equipment they are supplying is fit for purpose.
The best solution is for the business owner to find out how many electrical items they have, how often they are used and in what environment are they used in?
For example, the risk of injury from a stationary office photocopier is far less than a bench grinder on a factory workshop floor. A general rule of thumb to consider is the more times an item is moved, the more likely that it will need to be PAT tested regularly. Items that fail PAT testing the most is kettles. They are in constant use and are always being moved around.
A lot of companies tend to pair their PAT testing along with the insurance and accreditation renewals and so get their PAT testing carried out annually as a general rule of thumb.
PAT testing on building and construction sites must be carried out every three months due to the nature of the constant use and and type of environment the equipment is being used in.
PAT testing and its frequency is determined by a number of factors including:
- Type of equipment
- Its classification
- It’s frequency of use
- If it has been moved from one place to another
We will specify your exact requirements. We abide by and strictly adhere to the IET Code of practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment 5th Edition guidelines to help determine this. For more information regarding legal requirements, please click here.
PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY SERVICE
All of our engineers are fully qualified, experienced and skilled, ensuring you the best PAT testing service that Birmingham has to offer. We regularly ensure that our engineers undergo quality control tests, ensuring and maintaining the very highest of standards.
We are specialists in portable appliance testing. Always providing a swift, reliable and professional service. We’re regularly employed by companies, educational establishments, landlords, offices, hotels and many more.
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