Frequently Asked Questions FAQs
1) What is
a "Portable Appliance"?
From a legal perspective a portable
electrical appliance is defined as an item
that is not part of a fixed installation but is
connected to such an installation by way of a flexible lead,
plug and socket
This therefore means
that any items such as electric drills, kettles,
fridges, microwaves, PCs, printers,
monitors, extension leads
etc will all come under the portable
appliance heading. Larger items such
as photo copiers, fax machines, scanners etc will also be
classified as portable appliances.
2) Who or what
does the legislation apply
to?
To comply
with the 1989 Electricity at work regulations, it is necessary
to implement a programme of
Inspection and testing of all necessary portable
appliances.
The Electricity at work regulations state:
Regulation 4: "as may be necessary to prevent danger all
systems shall be maintained so as to
prevent so far as reasonably practicable such danger."
This affects employers, Landlords and many other business
organisations.
3) How often do
you have to undergo the tests?
Because there is no direct rule applying to
PAT testing, more an obligation to take precautions, there is
n hard and fast rule about the time scales between tests.
Generally most businesses will take the view that an annual
test is sensible. This helps with insurance premiums and
provides peace of mind.
The employer must
really assess the risk level associated with the item. If a
piece of equipment is used regularly and is considered high
risk, such an item should be tested at least annually if not
bi-annually.
4) Who can perform the tests?
Only a "competent person"
can perform the tests.
Circuit
Electrical are almost unique in this sector
because all our testers are qualified electricians.
5) Can the tests be done during
or outside normal
business hours?
The work can be done in or out of office
hours. Our service provides scope for out of hours testing to
be carried out at NO extra cost (for orders above 300 items).
6) Are the machines unplugged or moved?
The machines need to be unplugged but not
relocated or moved anywhere else. The tests takes place on
site at the specific desk / workstation concerned.
The appliance needs to be unplugged to allow the testing
machine to read the necessary data and deliver an adequate
test.
7) Is it possible for IT equipment to be
damaged?
NO - our specialist equipment and our
expertise means that his will simply not happen.
8) How long does
the test take?
This is dependent on the number of
appliances per floor, work area or unit. A testing sequence
for an office desk work station can take up to 15 minutes if
there are a number of appliances to assess. Most office work
stations have around 6 appliances to a unit.
9) Explain about the labelling
system?
All appliances that are tested need to be
properly identified by way of labelling.
Our engineers will apply labels to all
tested items detailing the date of test, whether the PA passed
or failed and when the retest date is due.
10) What happens if an item
fails?
Most failures are easily dealt with and our
engineers will advise you of the best course of action on the
day of the inspection OR in the final report issued to you on
completion of the job.
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