PAT Testing


How to ensure electrical compliancein the workplace


Electrical safety expert and applications engineer, Darren Bakewell from North East based Seaward Electronic, provides advice on how PAT testing can help businesses remain compliant.


burns or explosions which could prove fatal. Even non-fatal electric shocks could cause falls from ladders, scaffolds or


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other work platforms, which in turn could cause permanent injury. Most of these accidents however can be easily avoided through careful planning, risk assessment and the regular maintenance of electrical equipment and installations.


What the law says? The law requires that all employers and self-employed individuals make sure that their electrical appliances are safe, suitable and used for their intended purpose. The regulations related to this, include the following: ●Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 ●The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 ●The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 ●The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 ●The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 ●The Housing Act 2004 (England and Wales) ●The Housing Act 2014 (Scotland)


So how can I ensure I am compliant? Portable appliance testing (PAT Testing) has become a fundamental requirement for ensuring electrical safety in the workplace. PAT testing is the examination of electrical appliances and equipment to see if maintenance is required and ensure they are safe for continued use. Many electrical safety defects can be found by visual examination, but some types of defect can only be found by carrying out testing.


Who should carry out testing and maintenance? Any person carrying out electrical safety checks should be competent to do so with equipment that is fit for purpose and within calibration, to ensure the validity of the results obtained from the testing process etc. If you have suitable resource and expertise within your business, you can


carry out the PAT testing in house. However, if that’s not the case, it is worth employing a contractor to carry out the testing for you. As with any contractor you employ, it is important to carry out checks on


competence, risk assessments, insurances, method statements etc. ahead of commencing work. The frequency of testing appliances and electrical devices should be


derived from a robust risk assessment, taking into account various aspects such as those listed below: ●The construction class of the equipment ●The environment that it is used in ●The users of the equipment ●The type of equipment ●The inspection and test history and its findings ●How often it is used As an example, a hand held appliance is more likely to become damaged than those that are stationary, therefore hand held appliances should be tested more frequently, if all the other aspects of use are the same. Findings from the risk assessment and previous test results if any should


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very year many accidents are reported at work involving electricity. Faulty electrics can cause damage to properties, severely injure people and, in some extreme cases, cause


The latest PAT testers also include risk assessment and risk-based retest calculator features, allowing users to easily determine a risk-based suggested retest period.


help you create a calendar that clearly identifies what needs to be tested and when. All documentation following testing should then be filed in a way that is easily accessible for compliance purposes.


What else can I do? Electrical appliances can sometimes leave the factory with design or manufacturing faults and are often subject to product recalls. So, the registering of all appliances and the regular checking for product recalls with the manufacturer should be part of any businesses policy for electrical safety. As well as introducing a regular PAT testing programme within the


workplace, it is recommended that the most up to date PAT testing equipment is used. Using modern PAT testers will ensure that checks are quick, easy and data


is stored effectively. Downloadable PAT testers, which can store and download a digital record of results and even pictures, can make the process easier and more comprehensive, especially for high volume testing. The latest PAT testers also include risk assessment and risk-based retest calculator features, allowing users to easily determine a risk-based suggested retest period.


Is there advice available online? For those looking to widen their knowledge of appliance testing, Seaward offers a range of free webinars and workshops aimed at helping engineers improve their skills and keep up-to-date with the latest information.


For more information about Seaward events and its range of PAT testing products, please visit: seaward.co.uk


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