Nothing in that paragraph says you have to do PATs to achieve compliance. A PAT is one way to demonstrate that you have taken steps to comply with the regulation, but it is not the only way and it is not even applicable to some equipment covered by that regulation.
Colin Bignell
Quite right. The conclusion at my course was that PAT testing is not required specifically under any legislation, but no-one can really think of a better way of satisfying "due care" etc. any other way, in the general case.
In other words, PAT testing is not required verbatim but it's still the best way currently to meet the safety requirements. At my previous job we did catch the odd (1 in several thousand) pre-moulded IEC leads where the earth was not up to scratch, when it was a brand new lead - which is why our stuff was tested from new. The other reason it was tested on the way in was to get it on the books, thus knowing when the next due test was.
That is over the top for many sites, but for us it was a suitable procedure that worked. PAT testing and visual inspections should be applied sensibly according to the site and conditions - that was drummed into us on the course. In my view, for a small site, there's more to be said for training the other staff to visually inspect their own kit on a frequent basis with reasonable frequencies of formal inspections. Where that is not reliable (too many staff, staff have cat-like attitudes etc), then it's more sensible to bring in a stronger by-the-book frequent regime of formal inspections and testing.
Cheers
Tim
nightjar Nothing in that paragraph says you have to do PATs to achieve compliance. A
Fair comment, but what other method(s) do you think would satisfy the HSE, in the context of small appliances? I take it as read that "PAT testing" is interpreted as set out in the IEE code of practice - i.e. with as much, in fact more, emphasis on the inspection as on the testing.
Are any other options set out in the HSE's Memorandum of guidance on the EAWR (a publication I'll admit to not being very familiar with)?
Over the decades, I have never come across a factory inspector who took the least interest in portable appliances. They occasionally show an interest in the wiring of 3-phase machinery, but have always been happy with a look at the risk assessment file and the information that I worked in the Engineering Department of an Electricity Board and take personal responsibility for regular inspections. Things might be different if they saw anything untoward with any wiring though and the situation might change as the book learning inspectors replace the hands-on ones.
...
Long time since I opened that.
Colin Bignell
Yes, a shedload of marketing work. If you can land yourself a regular gig with a local college / large office etc. then you're laughing. Otherwise it's a near full-time job to bring in enough work to keep you busy. There are plenty of "PAT test specialists" around these days, which usually means a clueless herbert with a logoed-up car (or huge
4x4, oddly) and the idiot's manual clenched firmly in the other hand.OTOH, the tester is affordable and the two relevant courses are cheap and commonplace at any tech college. A trained monkey can do them. One of the faults of PAT testing is that it's dumbed down so that chimps can indeed cope.
I would hate the idea of "being a PAT tester" all day. If you're already trotting around suitable premises (i.e. moderately large commercial, as no-one else bothers) then it could be a useful profit-making sideline to a more interesting job. Do the sums first though, and see just how much you could expect to make.
Record rip-off I've seen so far was =A320 / item being charged to small traders for testing by the "official" testing provider for the market. Now that deal just _stank_ of back-handers.
Me too
That was the idea, I'm moving towards doing more commercial stuff because there is a large industrial estate a few miles away with 400 business's on it and I can mail them very cheaply.
Not sure if £3 per item is that profitable?
The main requirement (when I did PAT testing) for new class2 items was to get them on the testing register(which mainly involved checking for type approval stickers). About all that could be done with class 2 items was a visual inspection, which would reveal if they had been dumped in a conductive fluid, or that they were in pristine condition. Insulation tests to what??? flash tests to destruct any semiconductors? only if they had external conductive parts would an insulation test be appropriate.
Class 1 items were a different matter, but usage, visual inspection and past results for similar kit would give a good indication as to what was required.
I used to do about 20 per day, but the biggest problem in the environment I was in was finding the articles to be tested. If subcontracting, a lot more could be done, as the items would be presented to you, and you could quadruple the throughput.
Well it worked for McDonalds!
=A33 is profitable provided that costs are low and volume is high. This means that:
Wow! 150? That would be well worth doing at £3 each if I,m on site anyway.
Food for thought.............
You really should walk to the appliance. Part of the test is to ensure it's suitable for the purpose and the environment. You might find nothing wrong with a hot air stripper, but if you actually see it's being used as a hair drier, that's a PAT test failure. There are lots of possibilities for appliances which are not appropriately robust for the usage, e.g. a domestic kettle which is in constant use by an office of 100 people, and is either going to break before the next PAT test, or is going to need PAT testing far more often than the employer is prepared to undertake, in which case it needs replacing with a commercial one which is designed for that usage. You won't see this unless you see where it's used.
When we had our electronics development lab done earlier this year, 6 benches used by 3 Engineers, I think we had over 150 items.
Took the kid doing the testing about 2 hours. Yes it was a joke. Several items should not have passed really, but did. Money for old rope, ISTR about 1.20 or 1.50 an item.
BTW, whats the general rule on detachable power leads? We had them tested as separate items, as they get swapped between gear all the time.
If they bring them to you in one room, possibly.
If you have to go round all the offices and wait for Sharrun to save her file before she lets you crawl under her desk to find the plug for her peecee, no.
Owain
The message from Owain contains these words:
Depends whether Sharrun has a nice arse or not.
I think you're confusing her with Traycaayy......
That much is OK - what I was talking about was the open-ended invitation to PAT test two dozen appliances (exact serial numbers listed, all of them must be tested), but with no indication as to where they are. If you can find it, you can test it. If you can't find it, you've soon lost your =A33.
moving towards doing more commercial stuff because
per item is that profitable?
If it's an office full of PCs on desks then you can also offer the telephone handset, keyboard and mouse cleaning service at the same time.
MBQ
And there'll be an electric heater that somebody [1] "borrowed" and took home, so you have to go back on a second trip.
Owain
[1] Probably Traycaayy.
Easily done around here - Chatham is the Chav capital of the UK :-)
Next generation will be called Chardonnay-Mercedes and Megan-Storm :-)
The message from "The Medway Handyman" contains these words:
There's a small girl round here called Armani. How's that for aspirational naming?
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