Is the item designed for ‘limited use’? Domestic appliances are cheap for a reason and can’t perform miracles PAT testing certificates are provided to business owners after portable appliances have been successfully tested. The certificates show that the company is in compliance with regulations by having their portable equipment regularly inspected for damage and/or risks. The certificate serves as proof that the person responsible for maintaining equipment has taken steps necessary to ensure safety.

Public use equipment – Stationary and IT equipment such as computers should be tested every 12 months. Moveable, portable and handheld equipment falling into class 2 should be tested every 12 months. Moveable, portable and handheld equipment falling into class 1 should be tested every 6 months Computers, printers and faxes were not moved around much and were positioned so that the cables could not become trapped, so the probability that items might be damaged was extremely low. The manager decided that they would be maintained by a visual inspection every 5 years. she looked for electrical equipment in the shop and found that there were a number of computers, a fax, two printers and a vacuum cleaner;There is no law which requires detailed records to be kept, although some system of recording what you have tested, and when, is certainly a good idea. Our advice is, as ever, to keep it simple! In many cases, depending on your business, an excercise book with hand written records is perfectly acceptable! Many people use a simple Microsoft Excel Spreadheet to keep their PAT Testing Records - a sample you can use is here: PAT Testing Records Spreadsheet While a 500V insulation test voltage is typical and suitable for a number of appliances, many PAT testers now include the option of a 250V insulation resistance test. This is essential for testing sensitive and surge-protected equipment, such as IT hardware. What is the item? Something which is handled e.g. a power tool, would be a higher risk item than a computer on a desk Offices, shops and hotels – Class 1 devices including IT equipment should be tested every 48 months. Portable equipment such as extension leads should be tested every 24 months. Handheld equipment should be tested every 12 months

A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. Items such as electric drills, monitors, PCs, and kettles are all suitable for PAT testing. You should be aware that electrical appliances fall under categories I, II or III. Those in category 1 are rated as being the most dangerous, with those in category 3 being the least. The rating of the item will have a direct bearing on the need for PAT testing. You must ensure that all items in category 1 are PAT tested. Items in category 2 will only require an insulation test. However, testing won’t be necessary for items in category 3.Only the vacuum cleaner was thought to present a high risk, so the manager decided to get this tested after twelve months and review this after 24 months. The vacuum cleaner was heavily used. The manager remembered that the cable was repaired 6 months ago by an electrician as it had been pulled out of the cable grip, so she knew that in future it would need to be looked at more often. It was decided that the vacuum should have a visual inspection every 6 months and that employees would be encouraged to look for signs of damage to the plug and cable before plugging it in.