We all see those little stickers on plugs and electrical equipment, but what are they for?
PAT or Portable Appliance Testing is the name of a process where electrical appliances are routinely checked for safety. Essentially, this is a safety regulation to ensure that any people, workers, or tenants who might come into contact with portable electrical appliances are not at risk of injury.
Portable Appliance Testing is not a legal requirement; however, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that any electrical equipment that has the potential to cause injury is maintained in a safe condition. In spite of this, the Regulations do not specify what needs to be done, by whom or how frequently.
There is no legal requirement to label equipment that has been inspected or tested, nor is there a requirement to keep records of these activities. However, a record and / or labelling can be a useful management tool for monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the maintenance scheme – and to demonstrate that a scheme exists.
Of course, there are always exceptions to every rule but in general, all appliances that are deemed portable and run on electricity should be checked regularly and maintained properly. adhering to the guidelines is as simple as hiring a PAT tester to check your equipment regularly or obtaining certification so that you are qualified to test equipment yourself.
The frequency of inspection and testing depends upon the type of equipment and the environment it is used in. For example, a power tool used on a construction site should be examined more frequently than a lamp in a hotel bedroom.
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact our friendly team on 01473 603344 or email info@allstartraining.co.uk