October 2021 - Cardinal Fire

Who Can PAT Test Electrical Equipment and What Do PAT Testers Do?

According to the Health and Safety legal requirements, it’s the business owner’s legal responsibility to make sure that all portable electrical equipment is regularly inspected and maintained in a safe working condition to avoid injury or death at work. To help you achieve compliance and meet the requirements of the Britsh Standards (BS 65000), you should have all your work equipment PAT tested by a competent person. Read along to find out what a competent person means and who can actually PAT test, as well as what the PAT tester does.

Who can PAT test electrical equipment?

The law describes the PAT tester as a “competent person” but what does this actually mean? If we take a look at the IEE Code of Practice, we’ll find out that the competent person can be anybody in your business, as long as they match all of the following criteria:

They have adequate knowledge and experience in working with electricity
They have adequate practical skills in working with the PAT class they are inspecting
They have an adequate understanding of the electrical system to be inspected
They have adequate knowledge of the potential health and safety hazards involved in the PAT testing procedure and how to prevent them
They have the ability to adequately assess the situation and stop the inspection if a considerable risk arises

As you can see, the above doesn’t require advanced technical knowledge, however, it does require the PAT tester to undergo special training before becoming qualified to perform the inspection. Therefore, if you are planning to appoint a responsible person within your organisation to oversee electrical maintenance, you will also need to ensure that they have been given the necessary specialist training first.

Many business owners in the UK opt to not use their internal resources to do PAT testing, due to the responsibility of the task and the time and cost involved in completing a PAT training course (takes on average 40 hours to complete). Another consideration is that if the trained competent person leaves the company, you will need to invest in upskilling another employee to do the job.

Also, as the correct implementation of the PAT testing techniques may make the difference between achieving compliance and failing to implement the necessary Health and Safety provisions in the workplace, it’s often best to avoid the risk altogether and employ a professional PAT testing service company to conduct the necessary checks for you.

Choosing to hire a professional PAT tester means that your equipment will be inspected by a trained and certified electrician. Most professionals have industry-specific qualifications that allow them to do PAT testing on niche equipment that’s specific to your business.

What do PAT testers do?

A qualified PAT tester will be responsible for examining all portable electrical equipment in the workplace, from computers and printers to kettles and microwaves. Each piece of equipment that is PAT tested will be classed as either Class I or Class II, which is something that the PAT tester has to be familiar with to be able to correctly identify the class and follow the relevant testing procedure.

The PAT test itself will consist of a formal visual inspection to spot any visible signs of damage to the equipment followed by a complete PAT test examination performed using special portable appliance testing tools. The PAT tester needs adequate knowledge and particle understanding of working with electricity to do that safely and to correctly identify whether the appliance tested is safe to use.

If the equipment passes the PAT test successfully, this will be marked by affixing the appropriate PAT testing label on it. If the equipment fails, the PAT tester will report this and notify you that the equipment in question is not safe to use until the issue is fixed and the appliance has successfully passed a follow-up PAT inspection.

At the end of the PAT test examination, the PAT tester, whether they are a competent person within the business or a trained electrician, will provide you with a certificate to acknowledge the PAT test has been performed, as well as the results. You should keep this certificate in your records as evidence of your risk management activities.

Your chosen PAT tester should conduct a full examination of all appliances in the workplace at least once a year to prevent electrical accidents at work.

Relevant PAT Testing Regulations

PAT testing may not be a legal requirement per se but having your electrical equipment at work examined by a PAT tester can help you comply with the UK legislation listed below:

Now that you know who can PAT test and what PAT testers do, you might want to follow up by reading our Beginner’s Guide to PAT Testing

Want to book a PAT test in the Midlands? Speak to the expert safety engineers at Cardinal Fire for PAT testing in Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

PAT Testing 101: Beginner’s Guide to Portable Appliances Testing (PAT)

If you are an employer, Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) testing is the perfect solution for ensuring that all electrical equipment at work is technically sound and safe to use. With electrical fires making up 33% of all accidental fires in the workplace in the UK, this is an important step you need to take to achieve regulatory compliance with all relevant health and safety legislation.

If you are new to PAT testing, this handy guide will give you all the crucial information you need at a glance, so read along and get your occupational health and safety (OH&S) practices on track!

What is PAT testing and what does it involve?

PAT testing stands for Portable Appliance Testing is an inspection conducted on all electrical equipment at work to ensure that it can be used safely. It involves a manual examination done using a special PAT test device which is preceded by regular informal checks by the user and a formal visual inspection by a specialist.

User Checks

Every member of staff should be given the appropriate training so that they know how to use the equipment correctly without endangering themselves or others. In addition to that, your employees should be able to spot health and safety hazards, such as obvious signs of damage to the equipment (e.g. naked cables, dangling plugs etc), as well as other potential risks, including live cables near water and cables trapped under furniture.

Formal Visual Inspection

While user checks have an informal nature, before a manual PAT test is conducted, every eligible appliance should undergo a formal visual inspection to spot any obvious signs of damage.

At the start of the visual inspection, the appliance must be unplugged to prevent accidents. Then, the inspector will follow a list of items to check, including:

Plugs: Examine for signs of burns, incorrect wiring, cracks and other signs of damage
Cables: Confirm the cables are undamaged and there are no exposed wires
Appliances: Check for burn marks, rust, cracks and any other obvious concerns
Socket: Loose fittings, signs of burn and exposed wires are some of the issues to look for
Residual Current Device (RCD) Checks: Use the test button to ensure the device works as it should and examine for other visual signs of damage
Environmental Checks: Take a look at the place where the appliance is used and identify any hazards that could arise from the environment (proximity to water, trip hazards, tangled wiring etc).

The formal visual inspection can either be done by an appointed member of staff who has been given formal PAT training or by a professional engineer who specialises in PAT testing.

The PAT Testing Procedure

Once the visual inspection is done, the PAT tester will proceed with the manual PAT test examination. As part of the testing procedure, a portable appliance tester device is used to check the continuity, polarity and resistance of the equipment.

Once the results are out, the tester will place a PAT label on the equipment to mark whether it has passed or failed. If the device has passed, it can be used safely. If it has failed, you will need to take action and either has the appliance fixed or replaced before it can undergo another PAT test. A device that has failed a PAT test is considered unsafe and should not be used until it has passed the test.

The official PAT testing guideline can be found under ‘Maintaining Portable Electrical Equipment’ on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website.

What appliances need a PAT test?

PAT testing is done on all portable electrical equipment; this includes every electrical appliance that can be unplugged from the electrical supply and moved to a different location. Portable equipment can be small (e.g. computers, printers, kettles, heaters, toasters, fans, microwaves and TVs) or large (washing machines, fridges, vending machines, etc).

Portable electrical appliances can be categorised as either Class I or Class II based on the level of user protection they provide:

Class I: An earth connection is used to prevent electric shocks. The casing is usually is made of metal. Common examples include kitchen equipment, such as toasters, microwaves and fridges.
Class II: A double insulation is used for additional protection. Typically, a plastic casing is used. Common Class II appliances include computers, printers and photocopiers

Wired-in equipment, as well as battery-operated appliances, such as mobile phones, do not need to be PAT tested.

PAT Testing Rules and Regulations

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, it is the employer’s responsibility to protect the health and safety of their employees in the workplace. Specific guidance on your responsibilities as a duty holder regarding electrical equipment can be found in the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

Failure to comply with the above legal requirements may result in large finical fines and legal action against you and your business. So, even though Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) testing is not a legal requirement per se, it should be an essential part of the health and safety compliance strategy of any business that uses portable electric appliances. This includes everything from offices, hotels and healthcare providers to self-employed home workers.

PAT testing is done to ensure that everyone is safe at work and that you, as an employer, have fulfilled your duties as described by the law. It’s a simple, cost-effective solution too.

PAT Testing FAQ

Now that we have the basics covered, our PAT testing guide will explore some of the other important questions you may have regarding your portable appliance testing.

How often do I need a PAT test?

The frequency of PAT testing needed is determined by the risk level associated with the equipment. This includes factors such as how often it’s used, where it’s used and who is using it. Your regular risk assessment will give you further guidance on the specifics of each appliance but usually, you are advised to conduct a PAT test at least once a year.

Who is responsible for PAT testing at work?

The employer carries the legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their staff, so PAT testing, as part of the general compliance strategy, will come under the employer’s duties.

Who can carry out a PAT test?

A PAT test can only be conducted by someone who has had the appropriate training. Depending on the complexity of the equipment and the level of risk involved, this could either be a staff member who has undergone PAT training or a professional PAT tester.

What is a PAT test certificate?

The PAT test certificate is a document that is issued by a specialist PAT testing engineer at the end of the PAT inspection. You should keep this in your records as it can be used as evidence of your compliance with the health and safety regulations.

Can I do my own PAT test?

Yes, but only if you have undergone the relevant PAT testing training. If the PAT testing procedure hasn’t been carried out as it should, this could expose people at work to health risks and expose your business to various problems caused by regulatory compliance failure.

How can Cardinal Fire help?

Cardinal Fire is a PAT testing company based in the West Midlands, offering affordable PAT testing services to businesses in the area. Our PAT testers are highly qualified and have FIA and BAFE certification, as well as ISO 9001 and UKAS quality management accreditation.

Featured Image: Pexels Licence – ERIC MUFASA

Month: October 2021

Who can PAT test? | What do PAT Testers do?