Legal
Requirements For
PAT Testing
|
| A common question
is 'Do we need to PAT test and what
are the Legal Requirements for PAT
testing?' |
| The Electricity at
Work Regulations place a legal
responsibility on employers,
employees and self-employed persons
to comply with the provisions of the
regulations and take reasonably
practicable steps to ensure that no
danger results from the use of such
equipment. |
| This in effect
requires the implementation of a
systematic and regular program of maintenance, inspection and testing.
The Health & Safety at Work Act
(1974) places such an obligation in
the following circumstances: |
|
|
|
| |
1. |
Where appliances are
used by employees. |
| |
2.
|
Where the public may
use appliances in establishments
such as hospitals, schools, hotels,
shops etc. |
| |
3.
|
Where appliances
are supplied or hired. |
| |
4.
|
Where appliances
are repaired or serviced. |
| The level of
inspection and testing required is
dependant upon the risk of the
appliance becoming faulty, which is
in turn dependant upon the type of
appliance, the nature of its use and
the environment in which it is used. |
| The Institution of
Electrical Engineers publishes the
"Code of Practice for In-service
Inspection and Testing of Electrical
Equipment". This guide forms the
basis for portable appliance testing
in the U.K. |
| The legislation of
specific relevance to electrical
maintenance is the Health & safety
at Work etc. Act 1974, the
Management of Health & Safety at
Work Regulations 1999 , the
Electricity at Work Regulations
1989, the Workplace (Health, Safety
& Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the
Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations (PUWER) 1998. |
|
|
The Health &
Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
|
| places a duty of
care both upon employer and employee
to ensure the safety of all persons
using the work premises. This
includes the self-employed |
|
|
The Management
of Health & Safety at Work
Regulations 1999
|
state: “every
employer shall make a suitable and
sufficient assessment of:
(a) the risks to the health and
safety of his employees to which
they are exposed whilst they are at
work, and
(b) the risks to the health and
safety of persons not in his
employment arising out of or in
connection with the conduct by him
of his undertaking |
|
|
The Provision
and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations (PUWER) 1998
|
| state: “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” |
| The Provision and
Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER)
1998 cover most risks that can
result from using work equipment, it
should be noted that this includes
but is not solely electrical
equipment. With respects to risks
from electricity, compliance with
the Electricity at Work Regulations
1989 is likely to achieve compliance
with PUWER regulations 5-9, 19 & 22 |
| PUWER only applies
to work equipment used by workers at
work. This includes all work
equipment (fixed, portable or
transportable) connected to a source
of electrical energy. |
| PUWER does not apply
to the fixed installations of the
building; the safety of these is
specifically dealt with in the
Electricity at Work Regulations. |
|
|
The
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
|
| state: “As may be
necessary to prevent danger, all
systems shall be maintained so as to
prevent, so far as is reasonably
practicable, such danger” |
| “System, means an
electrical system in which all the
electrical equipment is, or may be
electrically connected to a common
source of electrical energy and
includes such source and such
equipment” |
| “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” |
|
|
|
|
* PAT
Testing from 79p, subject to the number of tests |
