The Importance of a PAT Test Certificate
As the major cause of accidental fires in the UK, electrical appliances have become a target for the government. There have now been a new set of regulations needed to ensure electrical appliances don’t cause accidents within homes and commercial properties, and the PAT Test certificate can help you make sure you are in accordance with them.
The PAT test certificate should be done regularly to test such equipment and ensure appliances are working efficiently.
What Is a PAT Test Certificate?
PAT stands for Portable Appliance Test and is a legal document that verifies all portable appliances on premises. This involves a visual inspection of plugs, cables, and general conditions of the equipment, whereby the equipment will have to pass some basic electrical tests to ensure it can be continuously used.
The PAT test certificate will help you to prove and ensure all portable appliances are in accordance with all regulations, safe and suitable for use, and help you and your premises to keep safe.
Which Items Need a PAT Test Certificate?
All portable electrical appliances inside a building should be tested accordingly to the following regulations:
- Electricity at Work Regulations,
- Provision and Use of Work Regulations,
- Management of Health and Safety work regulations,
- Health and safety at work Regulations.
In theory, all electrical appliances that are plugged into a power source should have a PAT test certificate. These will include PC monitors, kettles, printers, vending machines, washing machines, hand driers, telephones, and any other machinery that needs an electrical input.
Who can perform a PAT test?
Legally, the PAT test certificate can be performed by anyone that is considered competent and has received proper PAT test training, but it is highly recommended that a trained and qualified electrical engineer that handles a PAT testing machine does the job.
The engineer will make sure that all items will be properly checked, and that the items will follow all regulations and requirements. This is extremely important for your safety.
How often does the PAT test need to be done?
The PAT test is not a legal requirement. What is required is that all regulations are being followed, and the PAT test is the accepted method that ensures they will be in accordance with the regulations. The PAT test certificate will then be the proof that the test was completed accurately and will also carry all information needed, as well as if any item has failed the test.
No regulation requires a specific time for PAT testing but is recommended that the test is done every 12 months. If one of the portable appliances did not pass the PAT test, the item must be repaired, replaced, or even removed from the premise.
The current law requires that all companies and employers need to conform to the Health and Safety at Work Act of 11974, Electricity at Work Regulations of 1989, Provision and Use of Work Regulations of 1998, and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations of 1999 to keep their appliances and their employees safe. Landlords and Self-employed workers also need to conform to the regulations.
PAT Test Certificate
If you are looking to find an experienced electrical engineer to perform your PAT test, don’t hesitate to get in touch with TRAC. Our team is highly trained, and we can issue the PAT test certificate for you.
