Portable Appliance Testing
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Portable Appliance Testing in the United Kingdom is a process by which electrical appliances are routinely checked to see whether they are safe.
The word 'portable' is somewhat misleading because this category includes refrigerators, washing machines and other large electrical items. In effect, any electrical equipment that is not permanently hard-wired into the electrical supply.
When people work with electrical appliances, the United Kingdom's Health and Safety regulations state that the appliance must be safe. Checking items of electrical equipment is essential to help spot faults before they have a chance to harm anyone.
Many people will have seen evidence of portable appliance testing in the form of labels stuck to power cables around their offices.
It is often assumed that all appliances have to be tested every year, but all that UK law requires is that the appliances are safe (as far as is reasonably practicable). Guidance from the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggest intervals for inspection and testing ranging from three months to four years.
Testing should be carried out at regular intervals to ensure continual safety. The interval between tests depending on both the type of appliance and the environment it is used in.
The process usually involves the equipment being carefully inspected (including checking the cable and plug as well as the appliance itself) followed by relevant electrical tests using specialised Portable Appliance Testing equipment to verify the earth bond and insulation.
Other tests may optionally be carried out.
Portable Appliance Testing is commonly abbreviated to "PAT testing" which is a tautology, in the same way that some people say "ATM machine". The official term for the whole process is actually the "In-service Inspection & Testing of Electrical Equipment".
In Australia and New Zealand, the process is known as Test and Tagging.
Click the links to view more information on Portable Appliance Testing Equipment and Portable Appliance Testing Courses.
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