PAT Testing
Portable Appliance Testing (commonly known as PAT or PAT Inspection or PAT Testing) is a process in the United Kingdom by which electrical appliances are routinely checked for safety. The correct term for the whole process is In-service Inspection & Testing of Electrical Equipment.
When people work with electrical appliances, health and safety regulations state that the appliance must be safe, to prevent harm to workers. Many types of equipment require PAT testing at regular intervals to ensure continual safety; the interval between tests depending on both the type of appliance and the environment it is used in. Evidence of testing must be clearly visible to workers in the form of 'Passed' , 'Tested For Electrical Safety' and 'DO NOT USE after labels affixed to various parts of the electrical equipment they use.
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Regulations on Who must have their equipment PAT Tested
- The Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) requires "All electrical systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any danger". This is interpreted as covering the fixed electrical installation as well as portable and transportable equipment connected to it. The Regulations also state "It is the duty of every employer and self employed person to comply with the provision of these Regulations."
- British law (the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 in particular) requires that all electrical systems (including electrical appliances) are maintained (so far as is reasonably practicable) to prevent danger. Guidance from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET, published under the IEE brand) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggest initial intervals for combined inspection and testing that range from three months (for construction equipment) to one year for inspection and, in many cases, never for testing (certain types of appliance in schools, hotels, offices and shops).[1]
- Electrical systems refer to the installation as well as all the appliances connected to it. A qualified electrician or someone that has PAT testing training must inspect the installation annually in any public building and/or a place that people work, private houses do not need this test. The maintenance of the appliances can largely be carried out in-house in many organisations. This can result in cost savings and more flexibility in when PAT testing is carried out.
- The European Low Voltage Directive governs the manufacture or importation of electrical appliances. Compliance to this has to be declared and indicated by the display of the CE mark on the product. The responsibility for this lies with the manufacturer or the importer and is policed by the Trading Standards. However, it is important to have a maintenance regime for electrical appliances. The Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) requires that electrical appliances be maintained so that they remain safe during use. The implementation of this is up to employers. The HSE or the local authority is responsible for the policing of this.
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Portabe Appliance Testing DVD
This DVD ties in with the latest version of IET's Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (3rd Edition), introduced in 2008. This video explores the legal requirements for the PAT Testing, and looks at each stage of the process in detail. Demonstrations are done in the practical way and clear examples of different types of equipment and how they should be tested are shown. Produced in association with Metrel
Robin SmartPat 5500 PAT Testing Machine
Robin Smartpat 5500 Portable testing appliance Integral Floppy Disc Drive and on board help Earth bond resistance test: 5A, 8A or 26 Amps 100mA IT / business equipment safety test Insulation resistance test P-N continuity / fuse test Earth leakage test Tests 110V and 230V appliances Flash Tests Downloads to a PC or Printer IEC lead test Reads Barcodes.
Code of Practice for In-service Testing & Inspection of Electrical Equipment
This "Code of Practice" has been revised to reflect current best practice. It gives guidance to those responsible for the inspection, testing and maintenance of electrical appliances. The text specifies the frequency and scope of inspections and testing in different environments. The new revision is printed in colour and includes many drawings aimed at helping to identify common problems.
Handbook of Portable Appliance Testing: The Complete Reference Book for Anyone Wanting to Carry Out PAT Testing
The Handbook of Portable Appliance Testing is a practical work that gives sensible answers to the sort of questions faced by most people undertaking PAT Testing. It is intended to be much easier to understand than the IEE Code of Practice. It strikes a balance between giving enough technical background where necessary, and easy to follow practical advice in implementing a PAT testing scheme. For example someone wanting to undertake PAT Testing using a PASS/FAIL PAT Tester need only read through the Overview, Planning and Doing the Work sections to get started. If they come across any appliances that they are not quite sure how to test, then a quick look within the Test Examples section should provide an answer. For those wanting more technical information on how the tests are done and find out how to interpret the test results, the PAT Testing: Technical Information section should provide all the answers they are looking for. The Test Examples section contains many practical tips and hints regarding PAT Testing of a variety of appliances that are found in offices, homes, schools and factories. Many of these are based around questions either from delegates or calls to our technical support line. Useful reference information has been tucked away in the Appendix so as not to clutter the main body of the handbook. This includes a chapter on Basic Electrical Theory and a background to Electric Shock and the different techniques in place to protect users from it. This book is equally valuable to the newcomer to PAT Testing who intends to test in-house as well as the more experienced practitioner who plans to provide a PAT Testing service to other companies. It should also provide a source of useful information to those intending to take the City & Guilds 2377 examination.
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