Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

What is a portable appliance?

A portable appliance is simply an item of electrical equipment, which is connected to the power supply by means of a plug and socket.

Why you need portable appliances tested

There are a number of reasons why appliances should be tested on a regular basis, but the most important ones are:-

To comply with The Electricity at Work Regulations
To comply with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
To minimise the risk of fire and injury caused by electrical appliances
To satisfy your Insurance Company.
To comply with all Health & Safety requirements and ISO standards
Quality Assurances also requires you to comply
Also, one of the first things Fire Officers and Health & Safety Inspectors usually ask to see on any inspection visit is PAT records.

What it involves

Each item is given a full visual inspection followed by the appropriate electrical safety tests.

Is there any disruption to services?

It would be wrong to say that there is no disruption. However, the more advanced experienced engineers are using the most up to date computerised equipment to keep any disruption to the absolute minimum. Testing can be carried out "Out of hours" if required.

How often does it need to be carried out?

No rigid guidelines can be laid down as to the frequency of inspecting and testing but factors influencing the decision includes the environment, the users, the equipment construction and the equipment type. We advise people follow the Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment produced by the Institution of Electrical Engineers in conjunction with guidance provided by the Health & Safety Executive.

The cost & where to get tested

For the latest prices please see several people & check their price lists & see what they include. Give your local electrical supplier a call or perhaps email them statng the estimated number of Appliances you want testing, so that they can advise you further or maybe arrange for a quotation to be sent to you if they do the testing themselves. The pricing structure depends on the total number of tests to be carried out. All quoted prices generally are the same whether the work is conducted "in" or "out" of hours but assumes uninterrupted access to all of the equipment. Geographical location does not often affect the pricing.

You can check PAT testing companies that have submitted to our directory by clicking here.

Article submitted by Pauline (Moderator - Mobile Disco Directory Forum)