Formerly known as In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment – PAT Testing is the process by which electrical appliances are routinely checked to determine whether the equipment is in a safe condition and fit for continued use or if maintenance or a replacement is necessary.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 puts a duty of care upon both employer and employee to ensure the safety of all persons using the work premises.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 require every employer to ensure that equipment is suitable for the use for which it is provided.
Depending upon the type of equipment and the environment that is it used within the recommendations for the frequency of inspection and testing do vary.
I just brought this item does it need pat testing?
Generally a brand new item will come with a one year warranty and not require PAT testing within the first year, however if not tested please keep proof that its less than a year old if there are any issues.
Why do I appear to have so many items I can only count 4 computers?
All items need testing individually and this means if the power cable is removable then this will need its own PAT Test, the same for Extension blocks and adapters.
Do items need to be turned off to be tested?
Yes all items will need to be turned off for testing unless agreed otherwise and a visual inspection can take place. A PAT test requires the item to be plugged into our machine to determine insulation resistance and earth bonding.
I’ve got 110v items and 32a can these be PAT tested?
This is not a problem all of our engineers carry testing adapters for all plug types ranging from 110v site tools to 3 phase electrical inputs, all of our test certificates will indicate if it is a different plug type for testing.