Portable Appliance Testing (PAT testing)

Let us take the hastle out of PAT for you...not just PAT testing but IT PAT testing too.

During your Health and Safety risk assesment you will no doubt have come across PAT testing as an issue all businesses must deal with. As with most Health and Safety legislation there are no clearly defined rules on what you need to do to ensure health and safety compliance, but we can guide you on current best practise.

ASAP can help by providing a competent person who not only understands how to test all your portable electrical appliances but, uniquely, will understand your IT system and be able to do things "standard" PAT testing companies shy away from like testing your business servers, the networking equipment and UPS devices.

What's more if we do find a problem during testing we will be able to provide a solution not just stop you from using the equipment and walk away! Often this is an issue in areas like server rooms as the equipment is mostly left on continually and the power supply start up circuitry is not used or tested until being powered down for the PAT tests to be performed. When the unit is switched back on again you can find it fails to start up.

To use our PAT testing service we'll need to know a little about your site, how many items to test, over what area and what type of equipment you have. For example a PC represents 4 tests one for each power lead, one for the system unit and one for the monitor.

Please click here to give us your details and we'll get right back to you.

Electrical Appliances

Any electrical appliance with a standard plug type connection to the mains supply must be tested for electrical safety using a Portable Appliance Tester (PAT). Such test must be carried out with the actual power supply cable used for each device.

Tests are divided into three types, user checks (visual) and formal visual inspections and Combined inspection and test.

User Checks

Each user of electrical equipment is to critically check for signs that an item may not be in sound condition. These checks will include:-

Visual checks to the cable, plugs and appliance to be tested including:-
- Cuts and deep abrasions to the cable covering
- Damage to the plug
- Non-standard joints including taped joints
- Outer cable covering (sheath) not being gripped where it enters the plug or appliance.
- Inner conductors visible at each end of the cable
A suitable operating environment for the appliance (wet, dirt etc)
Dangerous damage to the outer cover of the appliance or obvious loose parts or screws
Overheating, burn marks or stains

Formal Visual Inspections

A competent person shall perform these inspections that include the items listed above under "user checks" as well as the following.

Where possible the case of the plug is to be removed and the following checks made:-

Correct fuse fitting.
Correct cord grip on the outer (sheath) of the cable.
Correctly fitting wires into the terminals.
No visible bare wires other then those in the terminals.
Terminal screws must be tight.
Signs of over heating, internal damage or entry of liquid dust or dirt.

(most of the above checks are also applicable to extension leads, plugs and sockets)

In the case of moulded plugs, it is not possible to inspect inside the plug but all external checks apply. The internal fuse must be checked.
After testing a "Tested for Electrical Safety" sticker and the date for the next test is to be fitted, with the initials of the tester.

The correct polarity of supply cables.
Effective termination of cables and cores.
Assess that the equipment is suitable for its environment.

A PAT tester can be used during these tests.

The following table is the current suggested initial maintenance intervals as of September 2004.

Equipment	User Checks	Formal Visual Inspections	Combined Inspection and Test
Battery operated and extra low voltage items <50c AC	Yes	No test necessary	None
IT equipment (PCs, VDUs etc)	No	Every 1-2 years	None if double isolated, otherwise upto 5 years
Photocopiers & faxes	No	Every 1-2 years	None if double isolated, otherwise upto 5 years
Double insulated items (Fans, table lamps etc)	No	Every 2-3 years	None
Double insulated Hand-held items (Floor Cleaners)	Yes	Every 6 months to 1 year	None
Earthed equipment Class 1 (Kettles etc)	Yes	Every 6 months to 1 year	1-2 years
Cables and leads to the above	Yes	1 year	2 years

A test log shall be created noting any faults found and the relevant solutions.

In addition to these initial tests subsequent tests are required:-

Where there is reason to suspect the equipment may be faulty, damaged or contaminated but is not visually confirmed.
After repair, modification or similar work when it's integrity needs to be established.

We can provide as much of the above as you choose, we don't force you to adhere to a complicated system, just provide the service you need. Most business premises are tested within a day and our testing is usually structured as a cost per item depending on each site. A typical 20 user site with kitchen appliances works out to around £5 per unit tested.

Call us now on 0118 9845005 to arrange a PAT test visit.