What is PAT Testing?
PAT or portable appliance testing is the process of checking that electrical appliances and equipment are working as they should and are safe to use. Obviously, this is paramount for the workplace to ensure the safety of your staff. Whilst some defects are clearly visible, PAT testing aids in the detection of unseen faults.
Electrical appliances within all commercial properties are to be inspected on an annual basis, to ensure that they are not a hazard to your workforce.
Why is PAT Testing Important?
PAT testing in the workplace is important as poorly maintained electrical appliances and devices can cause electric shocks, fires and even explosions. Regular PAT testing helps to identify any unsafe or faulty appliances as soon as possible and in turn prevents these occurrences happening.
Employers have a duty of care to their employees to ensure that PAT testing is carried out properly and regularly, but it’s not just the workplace that requires PAT testing.
Any public space that has electrical appliances needs to be checked regularly for faults, this includes schools, shopping centres, doctor’s surgeries… in fact, anywhere that an appliance is plugged in that’s not a private residence needs to be checked!
Do I Need to Have a PAT Test?
As mentioned, PAT testing should form part of a company’s health and safety procedure to ensure that no employee or guest is at risk. Aside from this, having a regular PAT test is often a mandatory element for cover from your insurance company.
Furthermore, when you run a business, it is required that you have a regular PAT test to comply with the 1989 Electricity at Work regulations.
We would strongly recommend that if you are liable for organising your company’s PAT testing that you do not ignore it!
What’s the Process?
If you notice that your appliances are due for a PAT test, you can contact our friendly, knowledgeable team and we can organise for a test to be undertaken within your company.
One of our engineers will then come out to your location and conduct the tests on site. The engineer will check any appliance that is or will be connected to the mains power and let you know if it has passed or failed the test.
If the appliance passes, our engineer will attach a label displaying the date of the test and a note that it has passed the test. If it fails, our engineer will again label the appliance but note that it has failed the PAT test.
Type of Testing
The basic level of testing is a visual check over of your electrical appliances for broken wires, loose plugs and more.
As well as the basic visual test that can be carried out, there are a number of more thorough tests we offer as well.
A more advanced PAT test involves the inspection of the appliance’s wires and of the terminals inside the plug itself to check for any faults in there. We will also check that the correct fuse is being used and that wires are properly connected and not loose.
Our most advanced level of PAT testing in the workplace checks for leakage of current, earth continuity testing and insulation resistance testing as well as more in-depth testing of the wires, fuses and more.
What to Do Next?
If you’ve noticed your appliances need a PAT test or are concerned about the safety of any electrical items in your workplace, get in contact with our team of electricians in Cheshire today.