What actually happens in Appliance Testing?
Appliance Testing is unquestionably one of the most important aspects of any respectable health and safety plans a landlord or employer can make. When you let a property or hire an employee, all of the electrical equipment that you supply must be as safe as possible due to the extreme health risks faulty appliances can pose. In order to cover yourself against legal action, while safeguarding the lives of anyone you allow to occupy your property, you should have regular testing of your electrical equipment and the most comprehensive, efficient and practical solution is to commission a PAT Test of your property.
The Visual Stage of Appliance Testing
There are two different stages to Portable Appliance Testing. The first is a series of visual inspections of all of the electrical appliances being PAT Tested. One of the main areas of the visual test is an inspection of the area around the appliance and how suitable it is. There are numerous examples of otherwise safe appliances being placed in hazardous locations, making them unsafe for use due to simple carelessness and lack of planning or forethought. Hazardous locations can include; placing appliances near sinks or sources of water, placing appliances too far away from the wall socket which stretches or cracks the flex cable, or plugging in too many appliances into a single socket. All of these situations can lead to faults or injury occurring when the appliances are used and can lead to failing the Portable Appliance Testing.
The next part of the visual inspection stage of the PAT Test features checks of the actual appliances themselves. The assessor will look out for the correct fuse being used in the plug, any incorrect wiring in the plug, any cracks or exposed wires in the flex, any signs of damage from overheating and just generally how well the appliance has survived continual use. If you wish to improve your chances of passing Appliance Testing, simply make sure none of the appliances you have are kept in dangerous conditions and have not been subject to excessive wear and tear during their use.
The Electrical Stage of Portable Appliance Testing
During the electrical part of Portable Appliance Testing, your appliance will be plugged into a PAT Testing Machine. There are many models of these but they all perform the same functions. There will be tests of the wiring, the insulation and the performance of the appliances in order to make sure the appliances are safe and do not pose a risk of electrocution or fire. The stringency of the electrical testing will depend largely on the type of electrical appliance being tested but rest assured as all appliances that pass this stage are completely safe for use.
Results
Once your appliances have been tested, the assessor will collate the data and check to see which appliances have passed Portable Appliance Testing and which have failed. They will then issue “pass” and “fail” stickers for the appliances depending on their results. If an appliance fails the test it should be replaced and not be used again due to the risk they pose. If the appliance passes then it is absolutely fine for the time being. Due to the fact that appliances will deteriorate over time, it is recommended that you have regular Portable Appliance Testing, roughly every 12-18 months or so.
If you feel that you may not be complying with government standards or have never had your appliances tested before, start the process of booking a PAT Test by finding quotes through My London Tradesmen. Fill out the online form and My London Tradesmen will contact companies on your behalf. You will then be supplied with up to 3 quotes, leaving you free to make an informed decision regarding which tradesman you want to perform your PAT Test.
All of the tradesmen we use have received up to date training and are registered with all the necessary bodies. We only use reputable and trustworthy tradesmen.