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PAT TESTING ADVICE: ELECTRICIANS MUST USE THE CORRECT EQUIPMENT
Portable appliance testing (PAT) is used to ensure that electrical appliances and equipment is safe to use in the workplace. Employers are not required by the Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) to have their equipment PAT tested BUT the law does require an employer to ensure that their electrical equipment is maintained in order to prevent danger.
The law does not state how this should be done or how often so it is up to the employer to decide. The frequency of use of the equipment should be taken into consideration – if it is used regularly and moved a lot, for example a vacuum cleaner or a kettle, testing can be an important part of an effective maintenance regime. A visual check can also be used and if in any doubt, the equipment should not be used before an electrician can test it. It is important to remember that visual examination is an essential part of the process because some types of electrical safety defect can’t be detected by testing alone.
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New equipment should be supplied in a safe condition and not require a PAT test as long as it is visually in good condition. The HSE guidance states that the person inspecting the equipment must have the ability and training to carry out and understand the tests and, of course, the right equipment.
To ensure PAT testing can be carried out quickly and easily in the workplace, Megger has recently launched a range of compact, handheld PAT testers: the groundbreaking PAT100 series. The ideal choice for carrying low- to medium-volume testing in offices, shops, business units and similar environments, the devices are simple and fast to use, reliable and robust.
Their easy-to-use operating system and tough construction – the PAT100 features Corning Gorilla Glass to protect the display and rubber armouring for the cases – means they’re also well suited for use by training organisations.
Megger PAT100 series testers are currently available in three models – PAT120, PAT150 and PAT150R.
The keenly priced PAT120 provides all of the functions needed to carry out tests on the vast majority of commonly encountered portable appliances. It features pre-programmed test groups with fixed pass/fail limits for testing Class I and Class II appliances as well as extension and power leads.
