PAT Testing

PAT Testing, or Portable Appliance Testing, should be undertaken in order to fully comply with the Electricity At Work Regulations. Testing is required because during everyday use electrical appliances can become worn or damaged - both visually and internally. This can result in appliances becoming unsafe to use so a proper maintenance schedule is essential for businesses to reduce the risk of fire or electric shock.

What Is A Portable Appliance?

Quite simply, a portable appliance is any piece of electrical equipment that has a plug and can be moved from area to another.

Why Do We Need PAT Testing?

The most important reasons for carrying out Portable Appliance Testing are:

To comply with the Electricity At Work Regulations
Risk of fire and injury due to faulty electrical equipment is minimised
Insurance companies cannot dispute claims for damage through fire or electric shock because of insufficient electrical maintenance
The ISO Quality Management Systems require companies to comply with the health and safety standards

How Often Is PAT Testing Carried Out?

This depends on the workplace environment and the equipment to be tested but is generally every 12 months. Some items are recommended to be tested on a 3 monthly basis where wear and tear is greater - such as tools on building sites. However some items that are portable but do not move such as desktop computers are generally a lower risk so the period between tests can be longer. We are more than happy to assist companies in choosing the correct periods between testing. Generally we will issue a certificate for 12 months unless agreed otherwise. Our labels only state the date tested so this makes it easier if you wish to delay the re-testing.

What Is The PAT Testing Procedure?

We will perform a number of tests on each appliance, depending on the class of item these are:

Full Visual Inspection
Insulation Resistance
Earth Continuity
Earth Leakage

Polarity

A certificate is then produced for your files indicating the results of the individual tests. Each item will have it's own unique ID and label for easy identification. Once the testing is complete you will receive a copy of your certification through e-mail which we aim to do on the same day. As most people are trying to go paperless we no longer automatically send out a hard copy by post, however this can still be arranged if requested. If required, it can also be sent on a CD or in Excel format.

Our engineers are fully trained and comply with the new IET (The Institution of Engineering and Technology) 5th Edition code of practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. This code of practice promotes a risk-based approach when assessing the safety of your electrical appliances and will help the users, those responsible for the equipment and the testers of the equipment to maintain a high level of safety.

PAT Testing applies to all equipment covered by the regulations providing it has a plug - whether rated as portable, movable, transportable or stationary.

If an item fails, unlike many companies we do not cut off the plugs to the appliance. We simply remove the item, replace it if possible (power leads etc) and let the responsible person know. We offer a free repair of a faulty or incorrect connections in the mains plug or power connector and free minor repairs requiring no parts.

Does Testing Disrupt The Workplace?

At Birmingham PAT Testing we ensure that any potential downtime for our clients is kept to an absolute minimum. We do not turn off any server/comms equipment unless we are asked to. We will also work outside office hours if required - please call or email for a quote.

How Much Does This Cost?

We endeavour to ensure all our clients receive the best and most competitively priced PAT Testing available in the UK.

Our price structure is very simple;

Our minimum charge is just £40.00 which covers up to the first 30 items.
It is then £1.20 per item up to 100 items,
For over 100 items it is a flat rate of 99p per item,
For over 500 items, please call or email for a free, competitive quote.

There are no hidden extras and we do not charge VAT.
These prices are dependant on being given free and easy access.

Full Portable Appliance Test Report and Certification is included in the cost.