PAT funny colours

[meow2222]

We've now got some black PAT stickers. What's the law on this, where can I find it?

NT

[polygonum]

Aren't they used by IS?

I was looking at some the other day which were metallic. I couldn't actually think of a serious problem, but it certainly seemed wrong to have them on every plug in sight.

[meow2222]

eh?

NT

[Nightjar]

To quote the HSE:

There is no legal requirement to label equipment that has been inspected or tested, nor is there a requirement to keep records of these activities. However, a record and / or labelling can be a useful management tool for monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the maintenance scheme ? and to demonstrate that a scheme exists.

[polygonum]

On a day with the news full of IS flying their black flags near Turkey, etc., I had the notion of them carefully testing all their PAs. Then what colour label would they put on?

Reality would probably rely on Insha'Allah.

[Robin]

given the main purpose of most PAT stickers seems to be to advertise the services of whoever did the testing?

[Brian Gaff]

How can you write on that? Brian

[Scion]

Brian Gaff put finger to keyboard:

You might not have to, if a black sticker means "Tested and passed in

2014" or something similar.

[Nightjar]

With a white, silver or gold gel pen.

[charles]

but it's good to have some indictaion of who tested it. We used to reckon, with some equipment, that the last stage of the assembly process was to fix a "tested" label.

[meow2222]

Thanks everyone, now I know. By black I meant black print on white rather than the usual red/green/blue.

NT

[dennis]

That would be normal.

[Nightjar]

I didn't realise there was a usual arrangement. I would have thought it very much depended upon who did the testing. As I do my own testing, I don't bother with stickers on individual pieces of equipment.

[whisky-dave]

When they come and test the equipment in my lab they sticker everything. The stickers just given their company name, DS which mighyt be some form of tester ID and then the test date and the next test date.

Not that I'm convinced they have been tested, just a sticky label on them keeps admin & H&S happy.

[Bill]

In message , whisky-dave writes

Then you also get the situation that really makes me wonder if they actually know what they are doing.

For instance a monitor running off a separate 12Vdc PSU. Both the PSU and the monitor have PAT stickers on. Why have they checked the monitor? It is only the PSU that is mains powered. Or do they charge by the sticker?

[Scion]

Bill put finger to keyboard:

12vDC in does not necessarily mean 12vDC within the casing of the monitor. (Think 12V CRT tellies.)

The most important part of the PAT test is the physical inspection.

[meow2222]

Usually its red for fail, green for pass, blue for inspected but not electrically tested.

NT

[meow2222]

Since the main reasons for stickers are a) to advertise the service b) an upfront statement that you're doing your duty c) to keep worriers happy perhaps there's room for an 'exempt' sticker.

I've increasingly seen items lately with new pass stickers that clearly have no hope of passing a competent test.

NT

[meow2222]

I thought a 12v CRT monitor would be exempt, is that wrong?

NT

[Nightjar]

I suspect that there would be people who would refuse to use equipment that doesn't have a sticker.