Test Equipment Current affairs
Beware false economies with appliance safety testing
Jim Wallace of Seawardencourages a common sense approach to ensuring the safety of electrical equipment, as cutting corners can carry considerable risks, he warns.
T
here is considerable evidence that faulty electrical appliances in the workplace continue to pose a real
threat to people. The HSE continues to report around 1,000 workplace electrical accidents and 25 deaths each year. Fires started by poor electrical installations and faulty appliances also cause many more deaths and injuries – and considerable disruption to business activities. In response to this situation, there is indisputable evidence that the periodic inspection and testing of portable electrical equipment saves lives and prevents fires that may otherwise have caused injuries, loss of life and serious damage to business and work premises. Nevertheless, in pursuit of maintaining cost efficiencies, electrical safety testing procedures are often among the first activities to be reviewed. However, those responsible should fully understand their obligations and the risks associated with any short circuiting of proper health and safety procedures. Employers have a duty of care to ensure the
electrical safety of all those using their premises under the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974. As well as facing stiff penalties, those who
ignore their responsibilities not only put their employees and customers at risk, but may also invalidate their commercial insurance policies and liability protection. The requirements relating to the use and
maintenance of electrical equipment in the workplace are contained in the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR). Regulation 4(2)
of the EAWR requires all electrical systems to be maintained to prevent danger. This requirement covers all items of electrical equipment including fixed, portable and transportable. Crucially, Regulation 29 adds that a suitable defence is proof that all reasonable steps and due diligence were exercised in avoiding unsafe conditions.
Official advice Originally, the IET’s Code of Practice for In-
Service Inspection and Testing recommended that maintenance of electrical equipment is best carried out in four stages – lvisual inspection la test to verify earth continuity la test to verify insulation, and la functional test.
Although the essential tests for most
electrical products are earth continuity and insulation resistance, the official advice has changed with the introduction of, for example, variations in applied voltages for insulation testing, changes to earth continuity test currents and new requirements in relation to checking cables, leads and RCD trip times. In effect, different tests are now
recommended as best practice depending on the type of equipment in use and associated risk factors. As a result, those responsible for testing
need to understand that not all PAT testers will be suitable for all appliances. A proper understanding of the type of tests (and therefore test instrument) to be carried out on different appliances is a fundamental competency requirement. Any failings or
compromises in favour of low spec testers for all purpose PAT testing may therefore represent a significant safety risk. For example, the best practice test
requirements of surge protected devices or the presence of zero voltage switches will require some variations in the test specifications applied. In the most modern PAT testers, RCD testing is now included in the suite of test options available to ensure that when an extension lead or multiway adaptor is fitted with an RCD, the operation of the RCD should be checked using an RCD test instrument to determine that the trip time is within specified limits.
Safety role In the same way, the IET Code also now
recommends a choice of insulation test voltage of 250V DC or 500V DC – or the use of substitute or alternative leakage measurement for some types of electrical equipment. Again, not all testers are equipped with the capability to undertake this variety of tests. All of these tests have an important safety
role and can be crucial in ensuring that workplace safety programmes remain capable of detecting potential problems with electrical appliances before they occur.
lContinued over
Although the essential tests for most electrical products are earth continuity and insulation resistance, the official advice has changed with the introduction of, for example, variations in applied voltages for insulation testing, changes to earth continuity test currents and new requirements in relation to checking cables, leads and RCD trip times.
www.ewnews.co.uk March 2015 electrical wholesaler | 23
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