Recently the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) released a document entitled “Maintaining portable electric powered equipment in low-chance environments” which caused hundreds of articles, blogs, tweets, Facebook posts, and many others. Declaring that the HSE had announced that there has been no regulation that says PAT Testing is required, and that PAT Testing changed into illegal or failed to must be accomplished.
As someone who has examine this article in element more than as soon as, and seen the various different articles, and to add to that, placed many Pat Testing Company West Lothian human beings right, I need to invite the query – did the source of this fable begin with someone who hadn’t read the thing successfully?
My first problem: at no point within the record does it say that PAT Testing is illegal
My second problem: at no factor inside the report does it say which you do not need to get PAT Tested
In fact the first time the term Portable Appliance Test (PAT) is mentioned the report states “no longer every electrical item wishes a transportable appliance test (PAT)”. So my question to all those articles I actually have examine is that this; if PAT Testing is in truth unlawful, as so lots of you have got said, then why would the HSE country that no longer each electrical item needs a PAT Test? Surely if the HSE says no longer every item needs a PAT take a look at, then it also says that some items DO need a PAT test. Thus it is not saying that PAT Testing is unlawful however is in truth saying that PAT Testing IS a demand.
What the record does say, extensive and I assume this is in which human beings are taking it out of share is “you have to hold electric equipment if it can cause danger, but the regulation* does now not say the way you should do this or how regularly”. In this example the law noted is said because the Electricity at Work Regulations 1999.
So, you, the commercial enterprise owner or manager ought to ensure you maintain your electrical equipment if it can reason threat – all electric device can reason risk because it is electric; it really works from electricity, that’s risky.
How many proprietors or managers can really say that they preserve their electric equipment on a everyday basis and preserve records to prove it. As an revel in electric inspection engineer I can actually say, “no longer many”.
By engaging in what is usually called a PAT Test, you’re displaying that you are taking motion to ensure your electric home equipment are secure, and with the certificate issued you have evidence to show you’ve got finished this.
The 2d part of the assertion says that “the regulation does not say how you need to do that or how regularly”, but this HSE record and different HSE files do, as does the Code of Practice for In-provider Inspection and Testing of electrical device, which PAT Testing corporations are alleged to work to.
As the regulation does not say this, and most of the people don’t know what the tips are they pretty rightly turn to their PAT Testing agency, and ask the query. Eight out of 10 agencies will tell their clients the entirety has to be examined each 12 months to make sure compliance.
It is this recommendation that has given our industry a horrific name, due to the fact this advice is incorrect. How frequently an object needs trying out is depending on your own chance assessment of the equipment and the surroundings it’s miles used in. Your risk assessment need to observe the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
That solution might be along the lines of (and I am going to presume at this factor your commercial enterprise is workplace based totally): You paintings in a low risk environment so the possibilities of an twist of fate resulting from negligence is low, however there may be still a risk. Accidents do take place, as do fires. Equipment is moved round, dropped, has espresso spilled over it and replaced. When you replace your laptop for a new one do you put off the IEC leads from the socket and update them too – whilst they’re in an untidy mess under the desk; no longer many.
