Portable appliance testing

ScotTest are a specialist electrical inspection company based in Aberdeenshire and serving all of Scotland

Regulation 3 of the Electricity at Work Regulations recognises a responsibility that employers and many employees have for electrical systems.

It shall be the duty of every employer and self employed person to comply with the provisions of the Regulations in as far as they relate to matters which are within his control.

▪ It shall be the duty of every employee while at work: to co-operate with his employer so far as is necessary to enable and duty placed on that employer by the provision of the Regulations to be complied with: and

▪ To comply with the provision of these regulations in so far as they relate to matters, which are within his control.

If any of the following equipment is in operation at your place of work or if your property has any appliances with a mains voltage plug attached, for example:

Tills, Microwaves, Kettles, Fridges, Toasters, Vacuum Cleaners, Washing Machines, Tumble Dryers Computers, Monitors, Printers, etc. You have a duty to comply with all the necessary regulations Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is the way you can fulfill this obligation.

Failure to implement a programme of Portable Appliance Testing can also have insurance implications.

Testing of Portable Appliances

Testing and the inspection and testing of electrical portable appliances.

For all sizes of premises, regardless if there are only a few dozen items through to the large multi-site customers whom require structured testing plans for thousands of appliances, ScotTest can tailor a package to suit your requirements.

What is a portable appliance
A portable appliance is simply an item of electrical equipment, which is connected to the power supply by means of a plug and socket

Why you need portable appliances tested
There are a number of reasons why appliances should be PAT tested on a regular basis, but the most important ones are: -

1. To comply with The Electricity at Work Regulations 2. To comply with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 3. To minimise the risk of fire and injury caused by electrical appliances 4. To satisfy your Insurance Company. 5. To comply with all Health & Safety requirements and ISO standards 6. Quality Assurances also requires you to comply

Also, one of the first things Fire Officers and Health & Safety Inspectors usually ask to see on any inspection visit is PAT testing records.

What it involves
Each item is given a full visual inspection followed by the appropriate electrical safety tests.

Disruption to staff?
Inevitably there will be disruption. However, our experienced engineers using the most up to date computerised equipment keep any disruption to the absolute minimum. PAT Testing can be carried out "Out of hours" if required.

How often does it need to be carried out?
No rigid guidelines can be laid down as to the frequency of inspecting and testing but factors influencing the decision includes the environment, the users, the equipment construction and the equipment type. We follow the Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment produced by the Institution of Electrical Engineers - in conjunction with guidance provided by the Health & Safety Executive

Our Testing
Careful visual inspection of equipment. The tops of non-moulded plugs are removed to inspect (and if necessary carry out repairs to the wiring)

Faulty 13 amp plugs and incorrect fuses will be replaced The equipment will be tested following IEE guidelines appropriate to that equipment under test Water- and grease-proof labeling for all chargeable items Certificates and reports supplied on paper or on CD ROM

If you have any queries or just want to find out more about our portable appliance testing (PAT testing) services across Scotland then click here to find out more.