PAT testing or Portable appliance testing covers a range of electrical checks and appliances, so we’ve set out to answer some of the questions you might have about the process and how it applies to your business or organisation.
What does a PAT tester do?
A PAT tester inspects electrical appliances and equipment to make sure it is safe to use. Our shockproof team will use a range of visual and technical checks to make sure that the electrical devices you’re using in school, factory, hospital, hotel, or other business can be used safely.
What are my obligations as an employer?
If an item uses a voltage of over 125 volts (but not more than 1000 volts) it must be inspected periodically for signs of deterioration that might cause danger. Our highly qualified Spark Electrical electricians are able to carry out inspections and certify that an appliance is fit for use, needs repair, or needs to be taken out of use.
What is the law around PAT testing?
In Ireland, the safety of portable appliances is covered under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulation’s S.I NO.299 of 2007. This makes it the obligation of the employer to carry out PAT Testing on all portable appliances in order to keep both their employees and their customers safe.
How often do you need to carry out a PAT test?
The frequency of testing for portable electrical appliances depends on what they’re used for. Heavily used construction tools like drills and factory machines, or any machines used in harsh environments, are going to need more regular testing than lamps in hotel rooms, for example.
Testing needs to be carried out at intervals that make sense in terms of the kinds of items your business uses and the environments they are used in. We’ll work with you to make sure you have a testing and maintenance schedule that suits your requirements exactly.
And we can also advise you and your employees on how to make visual checks and recognize basic risks and damage so that the costs of PAT testing for your business are kept to a minimum.
What counts as a portable appliance?
When you do a quick audit of the electrical items in your workplace, it doesn’t take long to come up with items such as computers, printers, drills, and power washers. Hard-working but often overlooked items like toasters, kettles, and hoovers are also vulnerable to damage.
We’ll make sure that all of the appliances that need testing are identified and added to your maintenance schedule.
Our contract services can be tailored to suit the needs of all kinds of businesses and organisations.
Shockproofing your business is the best way to ensure electrical safety in your organisation.
Get in touch with our team of experienced technicians to start putting your Shockproof plan into action.