PAT Testing In Offices

Electrical appliances get started perfectly safe, but use can deteriorate to a extent where there is often a probability of a power shock or a fire. Just as regular MOT checks ensure that the safety of cars on the highway, Portable Appliance Testing (or PAT to make use of the popular acronym) makes sure that electrical appliances carry on being safe to make use of.
At first sight, PAT Testing looks quite technical and expensive, and for that reason many organisations either contract out this part of Health & Safety or neglected altogether. However, a proper idea of certain requirements can bring about a safer workplace.
If tests are completed "in-house", a substantial saving in cost can be realised. This article aims to deliver the reader with an idea of PAT Testing and the background with it.
Introduction
Portable appliance testing, or PAT Testing appears to have an aura with the "black arts" over it. As a result a lot of companies either overlook it altogether or sub-contract this element of Health & Safety implementation. However, an appropriate idea of certain requirements can cause a safer workplace, if in-house testing is accomplished an important saving in price. This article aims to offer your reader using a full understanding of PAT Testing along with the background for it.
Design of electrical appliances
If appliances designed to use mains electricity should produce a fault the results to the user may be lethal. In the style of electrical appliances steps are taken to prevent this. It is always easy for appliances for being faulty. However, the design precautions taken are such that an individual fault won't bring about any danger on the user.
On appliances which may have large regions of exposed metal, say a PC or an electric powered fire, this metal is connected on the Earth pin from the mains plug. The idea is when high voltages should develop from the PC due to a single fault, this cannot get to the user, as the whole unit is enclosed in a "safe" earthed case. This type of protections is termed Class I.
The other means of providing protection is as simple as using two separate layers of insulation. If a single fault led to the 1st layer of insulation being breached, then a second layer of protection remains available. This method can be used in handheld appliances like drills and hair dryers and is generally know as Class II.
Class II appliances are inherently safe and require less frequent testing. They are always indicated by the "double box" symbol.
PAT Testing Regulations
The European Low Voltage Directive governs the manufacture or importation of electrical appliances. Compliance to this particular must be declared and indicated by the display of the CE mark for the product. The responsibility because of this lies while using manufacturer or even the importer and it is policed from the Trading Standards.
However, like cars, it is important to possess a maintenance regime for electrical appliances. The Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) necessitates that electrical appliances be maintained so that they remain safe during use. The implementation of this is up to employers. The HSE or perhaps the local authority is in charge of the policing with this.
Planning your PAT Testing
The first step is always to make a listing of all the so-called electrical appliances. For every item, one should figure out how often with the maintenance checks, based around the method of protection (i.e. Class I or II), the amount of portability along with the environment it can be used in.
For example appliances which might be handheld whilst being used, for example hair-dryers must be inspected more frequently than a PC monitor which is moved rarely. An electric fire in a very factory should be inspected more frequently than one employed in a workplace.
It is important to arrange a Test and tag Southern River Record for each and every appliance. As taking care program is completed, results and comments might be recorded here. This can be invaluable evidence when there is an incident concerning a machine and a compensation claim is created.
On completing the maintenance, the appliance must be labelled. This has to point out the date that testing has had place and also the date after which the appliance really should not be used. Equipment that fails should be removed from use and marked appropriately.
Implementation
Having looked at the regulations and spent time planning, we must build a way of maintaining the appliances. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) recommends three amounts of maintenance actions.
User checks
Users must be encouraged to look critically for signs and symptoms of possible hazard should they use electrical equipment. This might be done easily by making everyone aware of what exactly is considered to be bad practice. A poster is one means of doing this. It is also good practice to introduce this as part with the induction process for brand new staff or at regular staff meetings.
Formal Visual Inspections
This is accomplished at pre-determined intervals. It is pretty straightforward and contains visually inspecting the power cable, appliance and plug for virtually any obvious problems and the results recorded. At this stage, you will need to open the plug and appearance the wiring is sound. According for the HSE, this stage can result in over 90% of potential problems being spotted. Some examples of faults that could be observed are shown below.
Combined Inspection and PAT Testing
This again is carried out at pre-determined intervals. For the checking of electrical safety, you'll have to have a PAT Tester. There are many PAT Testers available but the ones with pass/fail indications may be easy to utilize. All you've to perform is plug the appliance to the tester, connect an evaluation lead and press some control. The tester will execute the specified tests and indicate perhaps the appliance remains safe and secure or otherwise.
In addition on the scheduled periods, testing has to be carried out if there is reason to suspect that equipment could be faulty, and after repairs or any modification continues to be carried out.
PAT Testing in-house: Cost savings
If an establishment had 400 electrical items, this might cause once a year tariff of about A�1000 if this were to be contracted out. However, investing in a PAT Tester approximately A�200 inside them for hours a firm comprehension of what's needed, a thorough in-house safety strategy could be put available. This will bring about immediate savings. The option of renting an appropriate PAT Tester costing about A�75 monthly, allows further financial savings.
Summary
Maintaining electrical appliances is pretty straightforward. A program of inspection and testing can easily be implemented. Understanding the way users are protected will lead to a safer place of work. With PAT Testers costing as few as A�200 substantial cost benefits are possible.