What is the meaning behind a PAT test in your organisation?

Pat Testing which is also known as ‘Portable Appliance Testing’ is used to test out the safety of electrical equipment in a workplace.

Pat Tests offer meaning on a safety level to protect employees at work, along with ensuring a long-lasting life for important resources within the organisation.

Following the safety testing of your appliances, a label will be stuck onto it to prove it has passed its test, along with displaying other practical information such as a unique appliance identification number, test, and retest dates, and company branding.

Is PAT Testing a legal requirement?

In the United Kingdom it is not a legal requirement to have PAT testing completed, however, businesses are expected to maintain a high level of upkeep on electrical devices, therefore, it is strongly recommended to be done at regular intervals.

How often should you have your equipment PAT tested?

Electricians and PAT testers usually recommend companies to have PAT tests carried out annually, to ensure that safety checks are no longer than 12 months old at any given time.

In harsher working environments, it may be recommended that you have your appliances tested in shorter intervals such as 3 or 6 monthly.

Which appliances should you have PAT tested?

It is recommended that organisations PAT test any appliance which connects to the mains through a cable. Even though PAT testing focuses on smaller portable appliances, a larger stationary appliance with a flexible cable also falls into this category.

Some examples of appliances that are regularly PAT tested are items such as:

• Kitchen equipment – Kettles, toasters, and microwaves.
• Office equipment – Monitors and printers.
• Power tools – Handheld tools such as drills and saws.

The PAT Testing process.

PAT testing is carried out in two ways.

A visual Inspection Is undertaken to check for any obvious damage or discrepancies with the appliance itself, or plugs and cables. The equipment can be failed at this stage without the need for further testing, if deemed unsafe or dangerous.

Special PAT testing devices are then used to check for important electrical information including leakage currents and potential electrical faults. The portable PAT testers plug directly into the appliances and display the information on the tester screen.

Following PAT testing, an organisation will be supplied with a detailed list of the appliances that have been tested, with detailed information about whether they have passed or failed, and if so, why they have been failed.

Which PAT Labels should you use?

When having PAT tests carried out, there are a variety of label options for you to consider using depending on the size and shape of your appliances.

PAT Labels Online offers a wide range of stock which includes options to add your company branding and details to make sure you can retain regular business and build long term customer relationships.

Our most popular pat labels are our 4^th Edition Standard sized labels which are a convenient size to fit onto most appliances, while displaying the important required information.

We also offer these labels in a variety of colours, to make yearly colour coding easier, or to find a better match to your company branding.

If you are looking for a label which offers a more aesthetic design, we can customise our full colour PAT testing labels around your requirements, with monthly check boxes for test or retest dates. This is a practical way to save time during longer PAT testing jobs.