FAQ's

What is a Portable Appliance?

 

 

 

 

Who does this apply to?

 

 

How often should I have items tested?

 

 

 

Do we have to unplug the machines?

 

Are there any implications for our I.T. equipment?

What about our servers and other equipment that can't be turned off?

How long does it take?

 

 

Is it done during normal office hours?

 

How are the tests recorded?

 

 

 

What happens if an item fails?

 

 

Do microwave need special tests?

 

A portable electrical appliance is an item of equipment which is not part of a fixed installation but is, or is intended to be, connected to a fixed installation, or a generator, by means of a flexible cable and a plug and socket. In layman's terms this means that any item with a plug is Portable Appliance. This would include kettles, Microwaves, PCs, printers, monitors, extension leads and even some large items such as vending machines, fridges and photocopiers.

The Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) placed a Legal responsibility on employers, suppliers and hirers etc to take reasonable steps to ensure that no danger results from the use of electrical equipment. This means all Portable Appliances at your place of work have to be regularly tested to ensure they are safe.

There is no specific set period. There are however guidelines to help. The frequency of testing depends on the type of equipment and the area in which it is used. It is the responsibility of the employer to assess the risks involved and implement their own program of testing. Most businesses opt for testing of all equipment on an annual basis to ensure conformity.

 

Yes. In order to electrically test the equipment it needs to be disconnected from the mains and plugged into a testing device.

 

 

The test equipment that PAT-TEK use has been adopted to ensure that no damage can be done to equipment during the test process.

 

In environments where it is not possible to turn equipment on and off, such as servers, it is possible for a visual inspection to be carried out.

Obviously this will depend on the number of appliances in your building and how easily accessible they are. A normal workstation with a computer, printer and extension lead would typically take around 10 minutes to test and reconnect.

 

This type of testing can be undertaken during normal working hours however at PAT-TEK we specialise in out of hours testing, and unlike alot of companies at no extra charge.

All appliances that are tested will be given a unique form of identification. This will be in the form of an adhesive label indicating an asset number and date tested. We provide a hard copy or CD format. CD format will enable you to access and view all assets tested and compile your own reports

 

Most failures are found during the initial visual check (i.e. a cracked plug, a tear in the cable or an incorrectly rated fuse). These minor repairs will be carried out during the course of testing however other failures that cannot be fixed quickly will be taken out of service to eliminate danger to your staff.

 

Microwave emissions testing can be carried out by our engineers, see price list for details.