PAT
Why do we need to do test Portable Electrical Appliances?
The answer is simple, we need to prevent Danger
Preventing Danger
In order to work out how to prevent we must first work out what we are trying to prevent.
- Danger means risk of injury;
- Injury means death or personal injury from electric shock, electric burn, electrical explosion, or from fire, or explosion initiated by electrical energy.
- As we are preventing danger we are therefore preventing risk of injury or, to be more precise, we are preventing death or personal injury from electric shock, electric burn, electrical explosion or arcing, or from fire or explosion initiated by electrical energy.
In effect we are preventing three main areas of risk, these being;
- Injury arising from contact with hazardous voltages;
- Injury arising from contact with hazardous voltages, fire explosion or arcing caused by faulty electrical equipment;
- Injury and property damaged arising from fire or explosion caused by faulty electrical equipment.
Although 2 and 3 may seem the same they are in fact totally different, as in 2 the danger is from faulty equipment and in 3 the danger is not from the equipment being faulty but from the environmental conditions in which the equipment is being used.
Maintaining Portable Electrical Equipment
There has always been the need to maintain & repair electrical equipment whether it may be in the workplace or simply at home. Insurance companies and various regulations over the years have placed a duty on the employer & employee to maintain electrical equipment in a safe & proper manner. Legislation with relevance to electrical maintenance are
- Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
- Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
- Workspace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
- Management of Health And Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Under the above regulations a duty is placed on the employer including the self employed and the employee to maintain electrical equipment in a safe and proper manner. This can only be achieved if the electrical appliances are regularly inspected and tested. Not all electrical appliances are safe as they come from the manufacturer, as they may not comply too British or European standards.
The only safe solution to prevent danger, is by having your portable electrical appliances inspected and tested on a regular basis by trained test operatives. But unfortunately if the electrical appliances have not been inspected and tested on a regular basis there could well be dangerous electrical appliances on your workplace that could cause a fire or even death.
Try to remember some of these facts
- Over 25% of all reportable electrical accidents involve Portable Electrical Appliances.
- Multi plug adaptors can cause overloading and fires.
- Even mobile phone chargers can cause fires.
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Even fairy lights at Christmas can cause death by electrocution and fires.