PAT testing at work is a way of making sure that any equipment that has the potential to cause injury or damage is maintained in a safe state, as required by the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. In addition to protecting staff and members of the public, PAT testing is required by many insurance companies to ensure continuous cover.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Carry out a survey of all the electrical equipment in your office, from printers to kettles.
- Once you’ve got a list, think about the health and safety implications of each item, and decide who could be harmed and how. Equipment like printers, computers and fax machines (provided they’re kept on clean, dry, stable surfaces, not moved very much and are used by staff only rather than members of the public) are relatively low risk. These items can be maintained via a simple visual check by a qualified member of staff, and a record kept of the date of the check and state of each item. Particular points to look out for include the point of connection of the mains cable to the equipment, and the plug. Any damage should be reported and made safe by a competent engineer before the equipment is used again.
- Equipment such as office vacuum cleaners or coffee makers are likely to be subject to a lot more wear and tear, and in addition to a regular visual check should be inspected and tested by a trained person every 12 months and labelled with the date of the test and whether the item passed or failed. These tests can be carried out in-house by a member of staff with appropriate training, or outsourced to an electrical company.
For some types of electrical equipment, a more thorough test and inspection is required which should be carried out by a specialist. Tests may include insulation resistance, leakage or earth continuity. Here at KDE, our engineers use the latest technology to give you a comprehensive, professional PAT testing service, helping keep you and your customers safe.
We can provide a free no obligation quotation for PAT testing your electrical equipment.
Give us a call now on 01928 711444 for a chat about how we can help.