What Records are Required?

We are proud of the level of reporting we offer our clients as standard, engineers carry out inspections using state of the art Panasonic hand-held computers, each appliance is tested, barcode labelled, and recorded on our asset register including appliance details – brand, model, serial number and location.

A complete and up to date Asset Register is a vital resource to businesses of all sizes, our reporting meets Health and Safety and Insurance Company Requirements.

Your report can then be downloaded from our website or emailed allowing fast and reliable reporting.

Could I, or one of my employees, carry out Portable Appliance Testing in-house?

Yes, however, you would need to ensure that any person who carries this testing out is competent to do so. The Electricity at Work regulations states that: No person shall be engaged in any work activity where technical knowledge or experience is necessary to prevent danger, or where appropriate, injury, unless he possesses such knowledge or experience, or is under such degree of supervision as may be appropriate having regard to the nature of the work.

The IET Code of Practice states, those carrying out the inspection and testing must be competent to undertake the inspection and, where appropriate, testing of electrical equipment and appliances having due regard of their own safety and that of others.

What should be considered is that the ‘danger’ to be prevented, includes not just the dangers which may arise during the testing procedure to the tester and others, but also the dangers which may arise at a later date as a result of using equipment which has not been effectively tested.

The tester must have an understanding of the modes of electrical, mechanical or thermal damage to electrical equipment and appliances and their flexes which may be encountered in any environment Training must include the identification of equipment and appliance types to determine the test procedures and frequency of inspection and testing.

Persons must be familiar with the test instruments used and in particular their limitations and restrictions so as to achieve repeatable results without damaging the equipment of appliance. The importance must be stressed of recording inspection and test results, labelling and reporting to managers for action on defects, trends or changes in their assessment of risk.

PAT Testing Legal Requirements

Electricity is so dangerous that many different rules and regulations are in place to protect the staff and visitors to commercial premises against electrical hazards. Regular Electrical Maintenance is important to ensure systems are running efficiently and safely.

The running theme of all electrical regulations are summed up as follows:

Preserve the safety of persons and livestock against the effects of electric shock and burns, in accordance with Regulation 130-01; BS 7671:2008 Requirements for Electrical Installations

Protect against damage to property by fire and heat arising from a defect in the electrical installation or equipment.

Key points from the current United Kingdom Electrical Law, Regulations and Codes of Practice are detailed below.:

The Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 puts a duty of care upon both employer (sections 2, 3 and 4 etc.) and employee (section 7) to ensure the safety of all persons using the work premises. This includes the self-employed.

The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 state:
“Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of:

(a) the risks to health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work; and
(b) the risks to the health and safety of persons not in his employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking”. (Regulation 3 (1))

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 state:
“Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided”. (Regulation 4 (1))
“Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.”

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 state:
“As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, such danger”. (Regulation 4 (2))
“ ‘System’ means an electrical system in which all the electrical equipment is, or may be, electrically connected to a common source of electrical energy and includes such source and such equipment”. (Regulation 2 (1))c

“Electrical equipment includes anything used, intended to be used or installed for use, to generate, provide, transmit, transform, rectify, convert, conduct, distribute, control, store, measure or use electrical energy”. (Regulation 2 (1))

Unlike Gas Regulations, there is no legal document stating that electrical equipment must be PAT Tested. However, from the documents highlighted above, it is clear to see that companies have a legal duty to make sure that electrical items are ‘maintained so as to prevent danger’.

The accepted method for the Health & Safety Executive and Insurers is to ensure a regular programme of Portable Appliance Testing is in place to reduce risks.