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Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

 

All portable electrical equipment can get damaged during use, and this damage could render the equipment dangerous to the user. Without regular testing and inspection, the safety of the equipment and the users will be at risk. Portable appliances can include microwaves, IT equipment and fan heaters. At Field View Electrical Ltd we provide a professional and high standard of portable appliance testing service to all of our customers whether they are domestic, commercial or industrial. All of our staff are fully trained testers who use the latest computerised equipment to carry out Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) and will always ensure that no inconvenience is caused to you or your staff while testing is carried out. We can also arrange for testing to be carried out when your office, Workshop or shop is closed to avoid disruption in working hours.

 

What Is Portable Appliance Testing

Portable appliance testing is a very important part of any health and safety policy Under the Electricity at Work Act 1989, responsibility is put on employers to ensure that all electrical systems are maintained so as to prevent danger. Electrical systems refer to the installation as well as all the appliances connected to it by means of a removable plug pat testing is one of the measures recognised as achieving compliance with this requirement. The PAT testing process involves the following stages to be carried out.

 

Inspection

This process involves inspecting the appliance, plug and cable for any obvious signs of being damaged and the inspections can be carried out at regular intervals with the result being recorded.
    During the inspections we will look for the following signs:
  • Damage to power cable sheath.
  • Damage to mains plugs, for example, bent pins or cracked casing.
  • Taped joints to the cable.
  • Damage to the external casing of the equipment, loose parts or screws.
  • Evidence of overheating
    • .
  • Outer sheath of the cable not properly secured where it enters the plug or appliance, so that the coloured insulation of the internal cables shows.
  • The correct Fuse value is used.
  • The cord grip is holding the cable tightly
  • Live, neutral and earth wires are on the terminals.
  • Terminal screws are tight.
  • No Sign of internal damage, such as dirt or overheating.

Testing

    If there are no visual faults with the appliance then they will need to be tested using the tests below:
  • Earth continuity – Ensures that an earth is present between the earth pin of the plug and the metal work of the appliance.
  • Insulation Resistance – Indicates if the insulation protecting the conductors is broken.
  • Load Test – Checks if the equipment and fuses operate correctly.
  • Earth Leakage – Measures the leakage current to the earth while the appliance is operating.

If each appliance passes the testing and inspection then it will be labelled with an bar coded label, retest date and details of tester. A report will also be issued providing the information about each item along with a safety certificate. If any appliance doesn’t pass the inspection and testing then we can repair the faults so that they can be used safely again.

For Further Information: PAT testing website