David Harland asked:

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT testing) is an important element of a organisation or individual's duty to health and safety. This is done using a number of specialised testing procedures on your portable appliances.

A lot of people ask whether Portable Appliance Testing is a legal requirement?

The response is no, however, it is a legal requirement and many insurance brokers require the underwritten to meet the terms of all current regulations. This includes the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, which state that "As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, such danger" (Regulation 4(2)). "Electrical equipment includes anything used, intended to be used or installed for use, to generate, provide, transmit, transform, rectify, convert, conduct, distribute, control, store, measure or use electrical energy." (Regulation 2(1)).

Employer responsibility is also stated by The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. This says that "Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided." (Regulation 4(1)). This includes all work equipment (fixed, portable or transportable) connected to a source of electrical energy."

What does PAT testing involve? You might say. Most PAT testing businesses will begin with a visual inspection checking for:

· Damaged flexes

· Damaged plugs and gear (overheating, scorch marks, discolouration)

· Wiring in plugs correct

· Fuses correctly rated

Then a sequence of checks (that is dependent on the class of gear), they may include:

· Earth continuity testing

· Insulation resistance

· Polarity test

· Earth leakage test

The gear tested by a portable appliance testing business are simply, any type of gear, which is powered by electrical energy.

The IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment says that this Code of Practice covers:

Portable Appliances:

An appliance of less than 18 kg in mass that is meant to be shifted while in use or an appliance which can easily be shifted from one area to another, e.g. kettle, food processor, vacuum cleaner, fan heater.

Movable Gear (often called Transportable):

This is gear, that is either: 18 kg or less in mass and not set in place, e.g. electric fire, or gear with wheels, castors or other things to assist motion by the operator as required to perform its proposed use, e.g. an air conditioning unit.

Hand-held Gear:

This is easily moved piece of gear meant to be carried in the hand in normal use, e.g. hair dryer, drill, soldering iron

Immobile Gear or Appliances:

This gear has a mass greater than 18 kg and does not have a carrying handle, e.g. freezer, dish washer.

Fixed Equipment/Appliances:

This is gear of an appliance, which is attached to a prop or otherwise secured in a certain location, e.g. bathroom heater, towel rail, domestic air conditioning.

Appliances/Equipment for Building in:

This gear is meant to be installed in a ready made recess such as a cupboard or such like. In general, gear for fixing in doesn’t have an enclosure on all sides because in an area, extra protection in opposition to electric shock is given by the surroundings e.g. a built-in electric cooker.

Information Technology Gear (Business Equipment):

IT gear takes in electrical business gear such as computer and mains powered phone gear, and other gear for general business use, such as mail processing machines, electric plotters, Cialis Online pills trimmers, VDUs, data terminal equipment, typewriters, telephones, printers, photo-copiers, power packs.

Extension Cables:

Extension leads should be kept away from where possible]. If used, they should be tested as portable appliances. It is recommended that 3-core leads (including a protective earthing conductor) be used.

A normal 13 A 3-pin extension socket-outlet with a 2-core cable should not be used even when the gear to be used is Class II, as it would not give protection against electrical shock if used at any time with an item of Class I gear.

The length of an extension cable for general use should not exceed the following:

- Core Area Longest Length

- 1.25mm2 12 metres

- 1.5mm2 15 metres

- 2.5mm2 25 metres*

- 2.5mm2 cables are too big for normal 13 A plugs, but they may be used with BS EN 60309 industrial plugs.

These max lengths are not applicable to the lead of an appliance, for instructions refer to paragraph 15.13 (IEE Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment).

If extension cable lengths do exceed the above, they will be protected by a 30 mA RCD manufactured to BS 7071.

Speak to the people that know London PAT Testing for your appliance safety needs.