PAT Testing
Portable appliance checks that find damaged leads and faulty equipment before they hurt someone.
Most electrical accidents at work involve the equipment people plug in rather than the wiring in the walls. Leads get crushed under desks, plugs get cracked, and kettles and extension reels take a beating. Portable appliance testing, known as PAT testing, is a routine check of that equipment. Adtec Electrical offers it to offices, shops, workshops and landlords.
What PAT testing covers
A PAT test has two parts. The first, and often the most useful, is a careful visual inspection: the plug, the fuse, the cable, the casing and any signs of overheating or damage. The second is a set of electrical tests using a portable appliance tester, such as checking the earth connection on earthed equipment and the insulation. Which tests apply depends on how the appliance is built.
Labels and records
Every item tested is given a label showing it has passed, or that it has failed and must not be used. You also get a record listing each appliance, where it is, the result and the date. That record is what insurers, landlords and inspectors tend to ask for, and it makes the next round of testing quicker.
How often in general terms
There is no single fixed interval. The IET Code of Practice for in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment recommends a risk-based approach: how the equipment is used, where, and by whom. Hand-held tools on a building site need checking much more often than a printer in a quiet office. We suggest a sensible schedule for your premises rather than a one-size answer.
Offices and shops
In an office the list is usually computers, monitors, chargers, kitchen appliances and extension leads. Shops add tills, display lighting and cleaning equipment. Testing means switching each item off briefly, so we work through the building in an order that keeps the business running and agree any equipment that must stay on.
Rented properties
Landlords who provide appliances with a tenancy, such as a fridge, washing machine or kettle, need to be satisfied those items are safe. Testing them between tenancies or at regular intervals gives you a record that you checked. It sits alongside the inspection of the fixed wiring; our landlord EICR page covers that side.
Testing alongside the fixed installation
Preparing for a visit
A little preparation makes testing quicker and less disruptive. Let staff know the date, gather loose equipment such as extension reels, chargers and heaters from cupboards, and make sure we can reach items under desks and behind counters. If you have a list from last time, send it over so we can check nothing has been missed. Anything you know is faulty can be set aside and labelled before we arrive. Afterwards, keep the record somewhere safe and encourage staff to report damaged leads between tests, because a quick visual check by the user catches many faults early.
Some equipment needs particular care. Items that are hard-wired rather than plugged in are part of the fixed installation and checked during an EICR instead. Equipment that cannot be switched off, such as servers or fridges full of stock, is tested at an agreed moment. Hired-in tools and equipment staff bring from home should be included too, because they are used in your workplace and on your premises.
For businesses, PAT testing pairs naturally with a commercial EICR, which inspects the wiring, boards and circuits the appliances plug into. Both can often be planned together. We are based at Lyford near Wantage and work Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 5:30pm. See the areas we cover, or call 01235 430442.