Portable Appliance Testing – challenging the myths

The subject of Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is still causing confusion and concern for business. People are not clear about which equipment needs to be tested and are uncertain about how often it should be done.

The myth that all electrical equipment needs to be tested every year by a qualified electrician was one that HSE refuted in its ‘myth of the month’ series back in 2007. More recently the issue of PAT has been raised in the course of Professor Löfstedt’s independent review of health and safety legislation. He considered PAT an example of a regulation that is being applied too widely and disproportionately. He recommended that HSE further clarifies what is necessary and what is not.

There is a legal requirement to maintain electrical equipment if not maintaining it would result in danger.

But there is no legal requirement to test equipment or that such testing should be carried out at any particular frequency. Despite this, some companies offering PAT services cite health and safety legislation as a reason for them. In fact checks and inspection of equipment by users may be the only action needed for portable appliances that are at low risk of developing hazardous faults.

HSE is clear that testing equipment including portable appliances can be a useful, and in some instances an essential, part of an effective maintenance regime but testing, if undertaken, is only one element of this. Visual checks by users and regular inspections of the equipment are also vital parts of any maintenance regime and, particularly for appliances that are at low risk of developing hazardous faults, they may be the only action required.

A risk-based approach should be taken. The type of equipment, what it is being used for and the environment in which it is being used are all factors that will influence the need for testing and how often it should be tested. For example, for a business that uses equipment robustly in aggressive environments – such as a jobbing builder on construction sites – frequent visual inspections and testing may be appropriate. Conversely, for businesses where portable equipment is rarely moved and sits in a benign environment such as computer equipment in an office, then testing may only be required rarely, if at all.

Both inspection and testing, if required, should be undertaken by someone competent to do it. Businesses can easily arrange for a member of their staff to be trained to carry out formal visual inspections which are not technically demanding. This may be particularly valuable for low risk businesses where inspection may identify most, if not all, problems with their equipment and thus avoid any unnecessary testing.

And just to assure you, HSE is leading by example. Having
reviewed the results of our annual tests of portable appliances in all
our offices over the last five years, we have decided that further tests
are not necessary for certain types of equipment for the foreseeable
future, if at all. We will, of course, continue to monitor any faults
reported as a result of user checks and visual inspections and review
this decision if necessary.

HSE is now taking forward Professor Löfstedt’s recommendations and so will review and refresh its guidance on PAT in the next few months.

Julian Delic, HSE Work, Environment, Radiation and Gas Division.