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Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)
Our team provides professional and reliable PAT testing for your electrical appliances, we’ve been testing portable electrical appliances since 1993, meaning you can trust that we have the required experience and skills to ensure every component of your electrical appliances are safe and in full working order.
We serve Residential, Industrial, Commercial and Retail businesses with electrical safety compliance testing services in a time-scale that meets your demands while allowing us to complete thorough tests. We guarantee the safety of your workplace or property with limited interference and we also promise that our prices are competitive and reflective of the high standard of care we implement, there’s no better company to trust for the task than us.
The misuse of electrical appliances, plugs, connectors and flexes claims nearly 30 lives in the UK each year. Electrical burns, shocks, arcing and are all major dangers to health from electrical accidents. Portable appliance testing (PAT) can not only save lives, but can also save property. With a long track record in providing testing and inspection to local clients, we know that our customers want a service that is efficient, discrete and compliant with all relevant legislation.
We conduct Portable Appliance Testing in both domestic and commercial settings, we work with you to discuss volume, cost and time schedules to complete your PAT tests.
Our Portable Appliance Testing service includes:
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Quick fix on minor faults on fuses, plug tops and IEC leads
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An observable pass or fail sticker on each appliance specifying the inspection date, when the next test is due and the examiner’s signature
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An itemised report and legal paperwork to prove your compliance including:
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A collection of assessment results and readings for each appliance tested
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A record comprising each appliance’s name, type, description and location
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An inventory of any failed appliances with an account of why they failed
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Fully accredited, you can trust our accreditations from NICEIC, UKAS, & more
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By regularly testing portable appliances you:
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Minimise risk of death or injury to yourself, your employees and visitors to your premises
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Risk of fire through faulty electrical appliances
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Legal requirements – Health and Safety regulations
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Insurance requirements - Many insurance companies require PAT testing. Your insurance policy may be invalidated if you have not complied with PAT requirements, so any claims made on the policy could be refused.
Is Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) Compulsory?
Though there is no direct legal obligation to PAT test your equipment and appliances, without a record of safety measures and proof of safe practices (as provided by regular PAT testing), in the event of an accident, you (as the employer, landlord or business owner) run the risk of being libel for damages and/or may fail to successfully claim insurance.
If you are a business owner or a landlord, you have a legal obligation to maintain all electrical equipment so it adheres to health and safety electrical regulations regarding the maintenance of electrical appliances. The most effective way to ensure compliance with this legal obligation is through regular PAT testing.
Regulations currently in place that pertain to the safety and maintenance of electrical appliances:
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Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974
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The Electricity at Work Regulations of 1989
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The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations of 1998
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The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations of 2006
Failing to comply with electrical regulations could result in a maximum fine of £5000 and or six months imprisonment.
Furthermore many insurance companies will also require businesses and landlords to conduct PAT testing at least once a year.
PAT testing provides the most effective way to identify defects that can come with use. Faults in electrical equipment pose a potential hazard, particularly if they are not repaired readily and is essential to maintaining health and safety within an organisation.
So despite not being a legal requirement, we thoroughly encourage any business, employer or landlord to conduct regular PAT testing to ensure compliance with current electrical regulations and to give yourself complete peace of mind.
Which Appliances Get PAT Tested?
There are three classes of electrical appliances:
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Class One
This category relies on an earth for protection, as such, must be PAT tested. It is the most hazardous class. This includes (but is not limited to) such appliances as floor printers, vending machines, electric heaters and kitchen appliances (kettles, toasters…)
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Class Two
These appliances have been built with additional insulation, therefore, do not rely on an earth for protection. These appliances include lawnmowers, drills, CD players and TVs.
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Class Three
The safest class. These items are low-voltage, and it might be that only their leads need to be PAT tested. Such appliances as laptops, phone chargers and torches fall in this category.
Appliances include –
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Electrical white goods (such as refrigerators and washing machines),
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Electrical brown goods (such as televisions and DVD players),
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Electric fires that are not fixed in place,
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Kitchen appliances, such as toasters and kettles,
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Hand held electrical equipment, such as hairdryers and tools
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Stationary and office equipment
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IT equipment
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Any other appliances provided by the landlord, business or employer that are not permanently connected to the electrical installation.
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Any appliance which fails to pass a Portable Appliance Test must be replaced or repaired immediately to comply with the repairing standard.
Landlords – All Landlords who let their property as a business activity are required by law to ensure the equipment they supply with the tenancy is safe. The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 requires that all mains electrical equipment including white goods, cookers, toasters, etc provided in rental accommodation, regardless of whether they are new or second hand must be safe. We strongly advise that the PAT test is conducted BEFORE the start of any new let.
Business – A PAT test is an essential part of any businesses Health & Safety Policy and Risk Assessment. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) requires, all employers in the UK to ensure that work equipment is both safe and fit for purpose. For this to be achieved a PAT test is the most efficient, effective and comprehensive method for compliance.
What is Portable Appliance Testing?
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Visual Inspection
The initial inspection that we carry out will determine whether the appliance can be passed as being safe. This inspection involves a thorough inspection of the plug, lead and equipment casing by our professional PAT Tester.
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Plug Inspection
The inspection includes checking that the correct fuse is installed, the connectors are tightly fastened and correctly fitted. The plug must conform to BS standards and be in very good quality, without any cracks or heat damage.
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Casing Inspection
The casing is thoroughly checked for outer damage including cracks, holes or vents.
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Earth Continuity Test
A Class 1 and Class 3 test that determines whether there is an earth between the appliance's metal work and the earth on the plug.
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Insulation Resistance Test
If there is defective insulation that exposes the conductors, this test will detect this and is carried out on all classes of equipment.
How frequently do I need to test my electrical appliances
There are no legal requirements for PAT testing frequency, however there are recommended frequencies for portable appliance testing dependant on the type of premises:
Offices, Shops and Hotels – Class 1 equipment including stationary and IT equipment should be tested every 48 months. Moveable equipment such as extension leads and portable equipment should be tested every 24 months. Handheld equipment should be tested every 12 months.
Schools – All Class 1 equipment in schools should be PAT tested every 12 months. Class 2 equipment should be tested every 48 months.
Public Use Equipment – Stationary and IT equipment such as computers should be tested every 12 months. Moveable, Portable and Handheld equipment falling into Class 2 should be tested every 12 months. Moveable, Portable and Handheld equipment falling into Class 1 should be tested every 6 months.
Construction – All 110V equipment used on construction sites should be tested every 3 months.
Industrial – All industrial sites, including commercial kitchens, should have Portable and Handheld equipment tested every 6 months. Stationary, IT and Moveable equipment should be tested every 12 months.
Fixed Appliance Testing
Why you need Fixed Appliance Testing?
Fixed appliances are an an electrical risk often neglected or overlooked by business owners and landlords, but it is just as important to test them as it is to test a portable appliance.
In our homes and workplaces we all take it for granted that appliances we use every day such as storage heaters, cookers, extractor hoods and hand-driers are safe and we never think about them until something goes wrong. As with any portable electrical item a fixed one in regular use is affected by general wear and tear (loose connections, damaged cables etc.), so needs periodically testing to make sure it is still safe to use and that it has been installed correctly.
Therefore the importance of regular fixed appliance electrical testing of your rented or company’s/property's electrical equipment cannot be emphasised enough from both a Health & Safety and liability perspective.
What is a fixed appliance?
A fixed appliance is an electrical appliance which is usually connected to the electricity supply via a fused outlet to which the flex is permanently connected. Fixed appliance examples are: storage heaters, hand dryers, hob units, ovens, cookers, cooker hoods & machine tools.
Do you supply or rent out any electrical appliances?
All employers, organisations and landlords have a duty to meet numerous Health and Safety requirements, our Fixed Appliance Testing service can include a full, visual and combined inspection and electrical safety test (from the electrical outlet to the appliance) including all cable and control units as well as labelling and a certificate of testing. Under the current Fixed Appliance Testing regulations, we can certify each fixed appliance from one to five years depending on the equipment type, installation and environment.
Our Fixed Appliance Testing guarantees
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Experienced Fixed Appliance Testing engineers, fully qualified City & Guilds 2377 or above to ensure expertise
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DBS-vetted Fixed Appliance Testing engineers
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Full range of tests performed as recommended by the IEE Code of Practice (The Institute of Electrical Engineers). The IEE Code of Practice is basically the Inspection and Testing Bible in the electrical world and is worth a read, especially if you are directly involved in Health & Safety.
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All reports include certification and detailed itemisation which can be issued electronically or hard-copy
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We are SAFEcontractor accredited and a registered member of The NICEIC and the Government Standard Trustmark. The NICEIC is one of the five regulatory bodies in the UK.
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All our Fixed Appliance Test engineers are there to help and to complete their tasks with the minimal amount of disruption.
