PAT testing (Portable Appliance Testing) is a process that ensures qualifying appliances are checked from time to time to ensure they are safe for use. It is a critical part of any organisation\’s health and safety policy in the UK. In order words, it is NOT a process or procedure that is optional. Qualifying entities are required by law to ensure it is carried out from time to time.

If it is mandatory by law then there have to be certain criteria for who is responsible and locations or situations where it is necessary. So who\’s responsible?

Puwer (The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998) makes it compulsory that every employer should ensure that work equipment is kept and maintained in a way that it is suitable for the intended use. Among other things, it also makes it mandatory that every employer ensures that no piece of equipment deteriorates to such a state as to pose a threat to anyone who uses it.

The Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) requires that inspection and testing be carried out in the following situations: where employees use appliances, where members of the public get to use appliances like in hospitals, hotels, shops, schools and so on. They are also mandatory in places where appliances are either hired or supplied and places where they are serviced or repaired.

It is important to point out that the frequency of inspection and testing required is usually a function of the peculiarities of the given environment. Is the risk of an appliance or appliances developing a fault high? Is such an appliance subjected to use that makes it more susceptible to faults? These and similar questions determine the frequency of PAT testing required.

As with everything that involves spending some money, it is easy for you (as an employer or anyone else in a position that makes you responsible) to consider putting off your PAT testing to a future date. This isn\’t the safest or smartest thing to do. Here are reasons why it is important to have it on time…

i. You will avoid costly litigation that could impact your organization negatively. Just imagine the kind of problems you\’ll have on your hands if a person is electrocuted due to something as simple as a naked wire in one of your appliances.

ii. You will boast the morale of your employees. People like to know that you are interested in their safety and that they will get back home (in one piece) to their loved ones after work.

iii. You will be sure that the necessary documentation for safety measures is in place. Furthermore, you can rest assured that you are NOT running afoul of any safety standards at any point in time. Nothing could be worse for a business than being caught napping by the relevant regulatory body.

iv. You save yourself by reducing maintenance costs. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine. Minor faults that are left unattended could easily lead to major faults. Having your PAT testing on time helps you discover such faults. You save money when they are fixed before they become or lead to major problems.

So How Do You Go About Your PAT Testing?

You can get an expert to handle your testing for you. There are obvious advantages in going this route. One of them being that you will stand to enjoy the insight of an experienced professional. You\’ll also get to save on buying the necessary equipment for such a task.

However, you can also get one of your employees trained in PAT testing. This also has its advantages as well as a few disadvantages. You just have to look at your peculiar situation and decide which would serve you best.

For more information about pat tests, visit PAT testing. For more articles by Steve Shaw and permission to reproduce these articles on your own website, visit: Free Articles.

For more information about pat testing, visit http://www.norwoodelectrical.co.uk. For more articles by Steve Shaw and permission to reproduce these articles on your own website, visit: http://www.sbwebconsulting.co.uk/free-stuff/free-content

Author Bio: For more information about pat tests, visit PAT testing. For more articles by Steve Shaw and permission to reproduce these articles on your own website, visit: Free Articles.

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