PAT Testing Regulations Posted on March 14, 2013 by Mark Fuller

4th Edition of the Code of Practice Emphasises Risk Based PAT Testing

In November 2012, the IEE released the 4th Edition of the Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of electric Equipment.

There was loads of uncertainty in regards to the recommendations and who’s answerable for what. Some appliances won’t need testing in any respect, whereas others might have testing more frequently. Ultimately it’s the responsibility of the task holder to find out the test frequency, however they will check with their PAT contractor in regard to the chance level and requirement to check, however the duty holder still remains responsible regardless.

The Risk Based Approach

If truth be told, this has always been the advice of the Code of Practice. There’s a common misconception that each one appliances must be tested annually, however in the event you consider the recommendations for test frequency in table 7.1 of the Code of Practice, you will see that even in older editions, the test frequency would range from 3 months to 2+ years and often times no formal electrical test was required in any respect.

The revised edition has extended among the recommended times even further (as much as 60 months every so often) and in addition recommends that tests & inspections ought to be reviewed regularly to work out if the intervals must be reduced or increased.

The requirement for maintaining electrical equipment is as follows:

“Electrical equipment is needed to be properly maintained to avoid danger. Inspections are necessary and testing can also be required.”

Further to this, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 state:

“Every employer shall make an appropriate and sufficient assessment of:

(a)    The hazards to the health and safety of his employees to which they’re exposed while they’re at work, and

(b)   The dangers to the health and safety of persons not in his employment arising out of or in reference to the conduct by him of his undertaking.”

So, briefly, the appliances and the environments they’re utilized in , must be risk assessed and the required testing frequency set in accordance with the chance level. As an example, appliances which are in an office environment, which includes PCs and printers, could be a lower risk level than appliances reminiscent of powertools which can be used outdoors and in harsher environments.