Portable Appliance Testing

As there can be some confusion over the need and depth of Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), and the levels of inspection & testing required, we thought it would be helpful to offer some background to PAT with the following questions and answers.

Why is Portable Appliance Testing required? 

A quarter of all serious electrical accidents involve portable electrical appliances.  There is a requirement for an employer to take adequate steps to protect the users of those appliances from both electrical shock and fire hazards.  The Health and Safety Executive claim nearly 2000 fires in 1991 were caused by faulty leads or appliances.

To meet the requirements of the 1989 Electricity at Work Act it is widely regarded to be necessary to implement a program of planned inspection and testing of portable appliances.

Who is responsible for portable appliance safety?

The responsibility for safety applies equally to small firms (including the self-employed) as well as to larger organisations.  In addition to being responsible for the safety of their own portable appliances they are also responsible for those brought onto site by employees or contractors.  Landlords are responsible for any electrical equipment they provide.

The “Electricity At Work Regulations” place a duty upon employers, the self-employed, and employees, to ensure that the risks associated with the use of electrical equipment are controlled.  The HSE “Memorandum of Guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations” implies that the “duty holders” have a responsibility to maintain electrical equipment to ensure it remains safe.

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