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This story was originally covered in an article on The Telegraph. To read the original article, please click here.

It is believed that the cause of the Grenfell tower blaze was caused by a faulty fridge freezer. Fridge freezers are amongst the most dangerous household workplace electrical appliances if they are involved in a fire.

They contain large amounts of flammable insulation and are covered in plastic that is toxic when on fire.

In a controlled test by the London Fire Brigade, a fridge freezer went up in flames in less than 90 seconds. This is made even more dangerous by the fact that fridge freezers are left on 24/7 to keep our food cold or frozen. There is no legislation that makes fridge freezer manufactures to use non-flammable materials in the design of their fridge freezers.

This is why is it vital that as a property landlord or a business owner that you get all of your electrical appliances checked. Redlander PAT Testing Ltd can visit your property/workplace and conduct portable appliance checks to test if your electrical equipment is safe for use. There is a fridge freezer in almost every business and home in the UK. The cost of getting your electrical equipment checked is far less than the cost of losing your business or property. Most insurance companies now require a PAT Test certificate.

WHAT HAS IT GOT TO DO WITH ME?

The Health And Safety At Work Act 1974 sets out the general duties you as an employer must follow to comply with the law in regards to health and safety towards your employees, people who use your facilities and the general public.

The main requirement is that you (the employer), must carry out a risk assessment for all the hazards/potential hazards in your workplace, if you employ 5 or more people. Including a fire risk assessment.

As part of the Health And Safety At Work Act, in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, it states that the employer is required by law to ensure that all equipment provided for use at work must be safe, including electrical equipment. To make sure your electrical equipment is safe, it must be inspected and tested by a competent person. This is commonly known as Portable Appliance Testing, or PAT Testing for short.

FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

When conducting your fire risk assessment, you must state the risk of using electrical equipment e.g. electric shock. You must then state the control measure in order for the risk to be reduced or controlled, in this case, having your electrical equipment inspected and tested by a PAT Tester, is a very good and important control measure to have in your fire risk assessment.

This shows a pro-active attitude towards health and safety, and can also reduce your insurance premiums. Most insurance companies ask for a PAT Test certificate these days. Failure to have a PAT Test certificate can void your insurance against fire.

A fire broke out at Sainsbury’s in Longbridge in November 2014 due to an electrical fault with the solar panels or it’s associated equipment. PAT Testing also includes extension leads, battery chargers or multi-socket extensions. Luckily nobody was injured, and the fire crew from Northfield Fire Station were able to attend quickly and extinguish the fire.

PAT TESTING

Redlander PAT Testing Ltd based in Rednal Birmingham, just a stones throw from the old Rover factory. We are experienced and professional PAT Testers, and are currently servicing businesses in Birmingham, including businesses on new Longbridge Technology Park. We are dedicated to helping your business stay safe.

Call 07711037245 for a free quote/consultation or fill in our contact form. We have clearly set prices and are available to work weekends so as to minimise the disruption (if any) to your business. We look forward to hearing from you. Click here to find out more about our PAT testing Birmingham services.