Ever wondered what happens during  pat electrical testing? Here is our guide, to help you gain a better understanding.

When carrying out Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) Norwood Electrical will do the following:

• A full visual inspection

• An insulation resistance test

• Earth continuity test to test that the appliance is correctly earthed

• Earth leakage current test

• Functional test to make sure correct and safe operation of the appliance

• All items that have a plug are tested using calibrated test equipment.

• A full report and certification is produced for your files with the results of the individual tests.

Pat Electrical Testing

All the tested items are then labelled with an electrical safety pass sticker showing the date of the test, a unique item number and the date of which the next test is needed. This will ensure that the equipment can be tracked and so it provides a clear indication of its pass or fail status.

Failed items – which are items that are deemed dangerous – For example electric shock or fire hazards, are removed from use, and then labelled and any necessary action required is discussed further with the site manager for the Health & Safety of it’s users.

Why Do Portable Electrical Appliances Need Testing?

the most important reasons for carrying out Portable Appliance Testing include:

• Adhering to the Health and Saftety at Work Act 1974
• Compliance with the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989
• Minimise any fire risks due to any faulty or damaged electrical appliance
• Minimise electric shock hazards due to faulty or damaged electrical appliances
• Insurance companies can’t dispute claims for damage as a result of fire because of insufficient electrical maintenance
• All companies are required to comply with the Health and Safety requirements
• Maintain the safety of employees, customers and visitors

PAT Testing essentially involves checking every portable electrical object or appliance in use or owned by a company. Many types of electrical equipments require for periodic inspection and testing to be carried out on a regular basis (often yearly) in order to ensure that all workers and customers are kept safe.

Keep checking back on our blog or contact us to learn more about PAT testing, including all the reasons why it is important in our society and in your workplace.

A fully completed electrical testing apprenticeship, with any level of post-apprenticeship experience is a great way of displaying competence for overall electrical work. Specialised work such as maintaining high voltage switch gear or modifying control systems is almost certain to require extra training and experience.

It is considered good practice to take note of how frequently equipment used for work needs be tested, note your findings, make sure the periodic electrical testing is carried out, and keep a note of results of the tests.