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Overview of PAT Testing & examples of bad practices

If you run a business that employs staff, or the public have access to any electical items with plugs on, then it is more than likely that you will need to have a PAT Test Certificate in your hands!   

It is also covered by the following legislation:-

Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Health and Safety at Work (Etc) Act 1974, 

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 2003,

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

Section 13 (4A) and 19B(4) Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 (Amended 1st Dec 2015)

 The Institute of Enginering & Technology (IET) Code of Practice  for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment 5th Edition 2020

A PAT Test starts with a full visual inspection of  the appliance, plug and cable.  The plug is both internally and externally checked(where applicable) along with the correct fuse for the appliance, then the appliance is tested by machine.  A pass/fail sticker is applied and this is gives the item a date of test, a reference number and the name or initials of the tester.   After payment has been received a certificate, showing the results from the testing is issued to the client. 

All Scottish landlords, hotels and B&B who have electrical items that tenants or clients can use, in properties that they rent, or charge for, now legally need a PAT Certificate for those items, under Section 13(4A) and 19B(4) Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 (Amended 1st December 2015)

The photos below are real examples of items that we have found either in use or that other companies had marked as a 'Pass' before we took over the testing.  

Plug in use in damp/water could be sprayed area.
Plug in use in damp/water could be sprayed area.
When testing recently, this plug was in use in an environment that was both damp and water could be sprayed in the vicinity. And people say why PAT Test?
A non-compliant square adaptor.
A non-compliant square adaptor.
Since 2020 this type of adaptor is now considered a high risk as the access to a fuse would require taking the whole adaptor to pieces. If we find one such as this in use, we do mark it as 'FAILED' and take it out of use.
Extension Lead burnt out.
Extension Lead burnt out.
Found in use, with more than 13amps in total being used across the whole 4 sockets.
twin plug being incorrectly used.
twin plug being incorrectly used.
We are finding more and more of this type of high risk use of sockets. In order to be able to do this, some sort of probe has been forced into the earth point of the socket. Usually appliances plugs can be cut off, and a suitable 13amp 3 pin rewired in their place. If told we can't replace plug, this is a fail!
Interior of plug that had a 'pass' sticker from another company!
Interior of plug that had a 'pass' sticker from another company!
This item had a 'Pass' sticker on it from another company. What is uncovered here could not have just happened since the last visit 12 months earlier!
This is a good example of why the cheapest is not always the best or safest.
An Example of 'a pass' by another company! Check out the cable grips!
This only becomes apparent if the plug cover has been removed, if it hasn't and just plugged into a machine, then the likely outcome is 'a pass' by that person.
Silver Foil Plug fuse!
Silver Foil Plug fuse!
Not a great idea if you want a safe appliance! Silver foil is not a substitute for a real fuse of the correct size!
If this had not had the back of the plug removed, as some companies do, then it probably would have been 'a pass'!
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