November 2021 - Cardinal Fire

Q: What is a PAT Test?

Defined as Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), it is a routine inspection or examination of various types of electrical equipment and appliances to determine if they are safe to use: this is to prevent accidents or harm to humans, animals and property in the workplace.

Without proper care, maintenance and regular reviews, electronic equipment can pose a real threat. Over time, the efficiency and condition of electrical equipment will decrease: think of it as wear and tear, in simpler terms. Because of this, it is crucial to conduct regular maintenance checks – done by an expert – to ensure that the equipment is running correctly and safe to use.

This guide will allow you to understand the different PAT testing classes and why it is critical to conduct PAT testing accurately and efficiently.

As electronic equipment becomes more prevalent within our daily lives, the importance of PAT testing is crucial.

What is a PAT Test?

Defined as Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), it is a routine inspection or examination of various types of electrical equipment and appliances to determine if they are safe to use: this is to prevent accidents or harm to humans, animals and property in the workplace.

Though many defects of electrical equipment can be visually determined, PAT testing also involves a cable inspection using specialist PAT testing tools. The full PAT test is simple to break down:

Visual inspection of the electrical appliance
Cable inspection – using PAT testing equipment

The cable inspection portion of a PAT test will include checks and confirmations of the earthing continuity, lead polarity and the integrity of the insulation resistance.

The definition of PAT can be somewhat misleading, however, particularly the word “portable”: appliances that fall under PAT can be any appliance that has a plug attached to connect it to a wall outlet.

There are three distinct classes of electrical appliances: Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3. Class 1 devices are the most dangerous and require a full PAT test.

What Falls Under PAT?

There are seven categories of electronic equipment that fall under PAT testing:

Cables and chargers – mobile phone chargers, laptop chargers etc.
Fixed appliances – storage heaters, hand dryers, machine tools etc.
Handheld appliances – hair dryers, drills, irons etc.
IT equipment – computers, printers, photocopy machines etc.
Moveable appliances – toasters, kettles, DVD players, televisions, game consoles etc.
Portable appliances – laptops, wireless landline phones etc.
Stationary appliances – fridges, washing machines, clothes dryers etc.

The interpretation of portable under PAT testing is broad, meaning there is a need to conduct PAT tests regularly on such devices to maintain their safety.

Who is Responsible?

Under the Electricity at Work Act 1989, the responsibility of ensuring that equipment was safe – or, at least, scheduling tests with a competent expert – was that of the equipment owner; usually, this would be the company owners/directors or their direct representatives in the line manager or site manager.

If there is a maintenance manager present, the title of Duty Holder falls on them to organise regular PAT testing.

Is PAT Testing a Legal Obligation?

There is currently no direct law that stipulates or recommends a business owner conducts PAT testing; however, The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 suggests that employers have a “duty to ensure the safety” of those using the work premises.

PAT testing has proven to be a quick, efficient and reliable method of adhering to the obligations placed on employers in the Acts of 1974 and 1989.

Understanding the Classifications

Before we go into depth with the PAT classes, we must first establish some background knowledge as to the purpose of the system.

A class of an appliance helps in determining if it requires a PAT test and the level of degree to which it should be tested.

When testing, a Class 1 appliance will require a full PAT test (as they are the most dangerous class), whilst Class 2 devices need a PAT insulation test.

On the other hand, Class 3 appliances do not need to be PAT tested, though testing of their charging leads and cables may be required.

The PAT Appliance Classes – Defined

Class 1

These electrical appliances only have simple insulation and instead, rely on earth for protection. Such devices are the most common.

Class 2

These electronic devices are outfitted with supplementary insulation and therefore have no reliance on earth for protection. Such devices will be identifiable with a double insulated marking (a square within a square): usually found on the manufacturer’s plate.

Class 3

Low voltage electricals: they are the safest of the classes. They do not require a PAT test; however, the charging lead and cables may do. Class 3 devices will often carry a symbol that contains three vertical stripes within a diamond.

The Importance of Each PAT Class

The PAT classes, as well as the appliance category, are important because they are used collectively to determine what type of PAT testing is required and how regularly such tests should be carried out.

As devices and components that carry electric current are often delicate, the possibility of faulty occurrences remains very real: notably, if routine inspections are not occurring.

An honest and thorough examination of such equipment ensures that they are safe to use and pose no immediate threat to life or property. The legal obligation to keep workers and the public safe from harm means that although PAT testing is not a regulated requirement, it is at the very least a moral duty towards the safety of others.

Who Can PAT Test?

Under the HSE legislation, those who test electrical equipment must be competent and have the following credentials before conducting any PAT testing:

Experienced in electrical works.
Understand the system that they will work on.
Recognise and fix emerging problems or suggest solutions.
Competent understanding of hazards which may arise without adequate precautions.
Possess fundamental knowledge and education of electricity.

What Businesses Need PAT Testing?

In simple terms: any business which has electrical appliances intended for commercial purposes or function should maintain and test said electrical appliances.

Under HSE, business owners and management must maintain and ensure safety for workers, guests and customers.

It is also advisable for commercial persons who lend property and accommodation – hotel and motel owners, landlords etc. – to consider PAT testing to ensure the safety of guests and tenants: at least annually.

Our PAT Testing Services

Established to simplify fire safety compliance for businesses, Cardinal Fire Protection assists organisations that have fallen short in their approach to adequate fire safety.

Our aim is to assist your commercial day-to-day operations and obligations by providing direct and succinct fire safety advice and services, including regular PAT Testing.

Did you find our guide on the basics of PAT testing classes useful? If so, expand your knowledge with some information on what to do in case of a PAT test fail, how to conduct employee fire safety training and our comprehensive guide on BS5839.

A tried and trusted method of evaluating the integrity of electrical devices, the PAT testing procedure will deliver a verdict of a pass or fail on devices. Whilst receiving a pass will confirm that a particular appliance is adequate for continued service, what happens should a PAT test fail?

Failed PAT Test – What Happens?

Whilst the primary objective of a PAT test is to determine if an appliance is safe for workers and the public, it is also helpful in finding faulty devices and repairing where possible and inexpensive to do, or dispose of them entirely.

As the customer, a business will usually receive the PAT test report – if the examiner is competent – which will detail the procedure, the findings, reasons for failure and recommendations as to whether the appliance is suitable for repair or needs disposal.

The recommendations made will sometimes make proposals suggesting that the appliance could be suitable for repair by a specialist engineer – such as a domestic appliance engineer or an engineer hired directly by the manufacturer – but such recommendations will be on a case by case basis.

Should the reason for failure be relatively small and easily remedied, professional PAT testers will often schedule an intervention after all tests have been completed: for example, if the casing of a plug were to be a reason for failure, it would be replaced and, once the appliance is within an operational standard, it will be issued a renewed passed certificate.

Sometimes an appliance will merely have reached its end-of-life and must be put out of commission, disposed of and replaced. Whilst it is unfortunate that an appliance that was once thought of as operational may have to be replaced at additional expense, the preservation of workplace safety should be at the forefront of importance.

Common Reasons for PAT Test Fails

There are some extremely common reasons for PAT test fails and any duty holder would benefit from being able to identify them so that if a device were to become unsafe for use between PAT test periods, the device can be removed and quarantined until it is deemed as suitable for repair or to be disposed of.

Here are some of the more common reasons for PAT test failure:

Damaged Plugs: Any damage to the structural integrity of a plug or appliance itself – such as cracks, dents or holes – could pose electric shock potential and lead to a PAT test fail.
Counterfeit/Fake Cables: Many counterfeit cables have shoddy workmanship – particularly the plug unit. Often, through incompetent/rushed labour, an earth pin will be partially insulated causing the earth element to be missing when it is plugged in. Don’t knowingly purchase cables from unauthorised sellers.
Damage to Flex/Wiring: Cables with regular use and movement (think phone charging cables) will eventually be prone to wear and tear: once a cable enters its final stage of life, naked wires may become visible and risk conducting unwanted current outside of the sheath.
Non-Insulated & Live Pins: Though new plugs come fabricated with insulated live and neutral pins, older plugs may not. Though rare in occurrence, older, uninsulated pins can cause shocks to users via accident or deliberately with external utensils. Such older plugs will fail a PAT test.
Incorrect Fuse Use: Many people do not know which fuses are suitable for certain devices, because of this incorrect fuses may be installed. If an inadequate fuse is found to be in use during a PAT test it will result in a fail and the test engineer will replace the fuse with a one of the correct rating to ensure the device is safe to use.

Items That Most Commonly Fail PAT Tests

Several items within the home and office will fail PAT tests more often than others:

Mains power supply cords for computers and monitors – particularly in offices with floor boxes, in which the lid can cut into the cable if closed before the cable is sat flush.
Kettles – such a fast-moving consumer product, that is often used communally and often is prone to breakage.
Extension cables – plug them in, put them down, kick them about and forget about them. Their insignificance once installed plays a large role in their failure: accidental kicks here and there will contribute to the external casing receiving damage and internal components loosening over time due to the vibrations.

Other Reasons for PAT Test Failure

Not all PAT test fails are caused by an appliance being categorically faulty. There are various reasons why a PAT test may fail, including:

Age of appliance
Aged PAT testing tools
PAT testing tools incorrectly calibrated or calibration has lapsed
Incorrect choice of PAT test for the appliance
Incorrectly conducted PAT tests

Expert PAT Testing Services in the Midlands

Though a PAT fail is unfortunate, sometimes it is a necessary evil in the bigger picture of keeping yourself, your workers and property safe from harm. Incompetent or incomplete PAT testing can result in faults remaining completely undetected or perfectly adequate electrical appliances being receiving a failure: both unwanted and avoidable outcomes.

We established Cardinal Fire Protection to translate the often-complicated business of fire safety and protection into its most simple form: helping businesses who have, at one point, fallen short of fire safety expectations.

As specialists in fire safety and prevention, we conduct expert PAT testing and provide industry-leading fire safety advice to your business so that you can focus on the commercially demanding aspect of your day-to-day, whilst keeping your employees and customers safe.
Did you find our PAT Test Failure guide helpful? If you did, please broaden your fire safety knowledge via reading our articles on Who can PAT Test?, the PAT Testing Classes, BS5839 Guide and the Fire Safety Training for Employees Handbook.

Month: November 2021

How to Identify PAT Testing Classes | PAT Testing Made Easy