[ Spotlight: Testing ]
USB connectivity on a Kewtech KT77 device
death or injury. It states in Regulation 4(2): ‘As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent so far as reasonably practicable, such danger.’ Subsequent legislation backed up the aims of the
EAWR. The UK Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) states in Regulation 4(1): ‘Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adopted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided.’ Although the EAWR initiated the portable
appliance testing (PAT) industry that we are familiar with today, Dave Moore, PAT product manager at Megger, advises: ‘The EAWR does not include any direct requirement for PAT testing to be carried out. For portable appliances, however, the most common way of complying with the EAWR is to carry out testing in line with the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment – and this means regular PAT. It’s also worth stressing that it is not mandatory to perform PAT, but any individual or organisation that adopts an alternative approach must demonstrate that it fully meets the requirements of the EAWR.’ While a test regime should be thorough, the
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recently published guidance suggesting that in many everyday situations, a competent, visual inspection of plugs and leads may be enough to ensure electrical safety. Not everyone agrees, though, and Paul Reeve, head of business policy at the ECA and chartered fellow of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, warns: ‘The HSE is keen to show how PAT can be done cost effectively, and we welcome its practical approach. However, businesses still need to be aware of the risk of faulty electrical equipment, and how to manage that risk properly.’
Boom times The PAT sector has grown significantly over recent years, thanks to a combination of better electrical safety awareness, more affordable PAT equipment and a desire for electrical contractors to diversify into this potentially lucrative new area. Exact figures regarding the size of the industry are non-existent though. Jim Wallace, research and
November 2012 ECA Today 31 About the author
Rob Shepherd Rob Shepherd is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to ECA Today. He has worked in the electrical contracting industry for more than 12 years.
Businesses still need to be aware of the risk of faulty electrical equipment, and how to manage that risk properly
technology manager at the Seaward Group, explains: ‘We estimate that around 45 per cent of the market comprises individual organisations that carry out their own testing, and 55 per cent are subcontract PAT companies. In a recent Seaward Group market survey of PAT users, 42 per cent said their level of business had broadly remained the same over the past couple of years, 28 per cent said it had slightly increased and only 14 per cent said that it had decreased.’ These figures broadly mirror the opinion of Peter
O’Hara, commercial director at Martindale Electric, who states: ‘PAT testing isn’t really growing much at the moment because almost every organisation has come to realise its importance. Therefore, the market is probably level.’ Paul Rutter, technical marketing manager at Kewtech, is more succinct and says: ‘The PAT sector is mirroring the general economy so is, at best, flat.’
Revenue stream Given the sheer number of portable appliances that require regular testing, some electrical contractors have recognised it as an excellent way to generate extra income. Asked what he believes makes a successful
PAT-based business, Simon Wood, UK wholesale and distribution manager at Megger, says: ‘Making sure that the person who carries out the testing is “competent”, as defined in the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, is the number one priority.’ Martindale’s Peter O’Hara agrees and adds:
‘Successful PAT-based businesses should be efficiently run, because PAT is very labour-intensive. That means that they must use the appropriate approach, depending on the type of customer and the number of appliances involved.’ In the UK, there’s no requirement to have a formal
qualification for carrying out PAT; however, it has become accepted best practice for contractors to undertake appropriate training. The City & Guilds
Portable appliance testing can cover a broad range of equipment used in the work environment
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