Facilities and Electrical Companies - Hawkesworth can help!

Employers are required to ensure that all of the electrical equipment that employees use is safe and in good condition. This one comes under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 which simply tells you that you must ensure that the electrical equipment – basically anything that has a plug attached to it – is safe.  

The net result is that more businesses are calling for PAT testing, which is putting some strain on Facilities Management Companies and Electrical Contractors who are quoting for their primary services are now also being asked to undertake PAT testing as a bolt on as well.

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How Often Should You Have An EICR?

An EICR is an Electrical Installation Condition Report and is a formal document that is produced when an inspection of the electrical wiring in a building has been carried out.

 Commercial premises should have a report provided every five years or every three years, depending on the type of environment. Industrial installations such as factories and warehouses should be checked every three years, whereas offices and shops, hotels, restaurants, schools, care homes, and so on, only need to be tested every five years. Certain buildings need to be checked annually, or certain parts within a building. For instance, a sauna should be checked once a year, as should a heated swimming pool.

In domestic premises it is recommended that an EICR is carried out every ten years, in order to check on the condition of the wiring as, although many people are not aware of this, electrical wiring does deteriorate over the years. An EICR should also be carried out every time the premises change hands: if you are a landlord you may have a change of tenants, or if you are considering the purchase of a property you may want to request a report so that you know the property is safe before completion.

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The Need For Fixed Wire Testing In A Business

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require your electrical appliances to be in safe working order and unless you have them tested how will you know for certain that they are safe? Certainly, a visual inspection will show up a number of faults but there are other things which can go wrong which are not apparent unless they are tested.

However, even if you are familiar with PAT testing, did you know that you should also have all your wiring checked on a routine basis as well? That is all of the electrical wiring in the walls, ceilings, and under floors. This is known as an EICR – Electrical Inspection Condition Report – but is also known by a number of other names such as fixed wire testing, fixed wiretesting, hard wire testing, and so on.

Most standard workplace environments should have an EICR carried out every five years, and these include places like offices, shops, restaurants, pubs, care homes, community centres, schools, colleges, laboratories, and so on.

However, some buildings require testing more often. These are places that are exposed to moisture, extreme temperatures, or dust, and include agricultural and horticultural buildings such as garden centres, spa hotels and leisure centres, theatres, industrial units, and caravans, although the latter is not a building per se. Petrol stations, laundrettes, fish farms, marinas, swimming pools, saunas, hospitals, and clinics should be tested annually.

Some buildings have areas with different testing intervals such as domestic homes with a pool. Domestic homes only need testing every ten year, but the pool should be checked annually. A manufacturing plant should be tested every three years, but the offices only need a check every five. 

Hawkesworth – Always Up To Date With The Latest Rules And Equipment

As one of the foremost PAT testing companies in the UK, at Hawkesworth Appliance Testing we always keep right up to date with the very latest rules and regulations. At present we adhere to the Institute of Engineering and Technology Code of Practice 4th edition, which is the current edition, but the IET is bringing out a 5th edition which is due for release in 2020 and we will be adopting those standards immediately upon release.

When we carry out PAT testing, we only use the very best PAT testing equipment which is that made by Seaward. These will detect potential safety problems with any item of electrical equipment before they actually occur, so if your equipment passes the test you will know that it is safe to use.

It is astounding just how many faulty pieces of electrical equipment are to be found in UK homes and businesses. For example, Whirlpool, who make tumble dryers, have started to recall faulty units which are at risk of catching fire. They began the recall on July 22nd and by mid-September had located 65,000 of the faulty machines. However, the company’s directors say that there could be as many as 800,000 faulty machines in total. These dryers are sold under the Credo, Swan, Hotpoint, Proline, and Indesit brands and the problem is that they let excess fluff gather on the machine’s heating elements which can cause a fire.

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A PAT Testing Company Can Check The Safety Of All Your Electrical Equipment

As an employer in the 21^st century, there are a lot of regulations with which you have to remain compliant, especially when it comes to the safety of your employees. For instance, you must undertake a risk assessment and review it regularly. This is not a problem if you know how to undertake a risk assessment, but the simple fact of the matter is that most people don’t, which is why there are companies in existence that will do it for you - for a fee of course – because they have people who have been trained and know what to look for.

 You also have to ensure that all your electrical equipment is safe to use, but again, unless you are a qualified engineer, how do you know what to look for. Sure, your office kettle may LOOK all right, but then again it may not be. The same can apply to your copier, your computers, and virtually anything else that has a plug on the end of it. This is why you need a PAT testing company who will send a qualified engineer along to do it for you. PAT testing is simply an abbreviation for portable appliance testing. Of course, having all your portable appliances tested in your office, factory, shop, or whatever, can interfere with your working day, especially if you have customers on the premises. However, a good PAT testing company will allow for this and be prepared to carry out the tests for you out of working hours if required. 

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How The Electricity At Work Regulations 1989 Affect An Employer

When you are an employer, there are a considerable number of laws with which you have to comply, especially around the area of keeping your employees safe and free from danger as far as is reasonably practical. One of the laws with which you must be compliant is the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 which require you to ensure that your electrical equipment such as computers, printers, kettles, fans, and basically anything that has a plug on the end of it, is safe to use. This is why portable appliance testing, known as PAT testing, should be carried out by a qualified engineer on a regular basis.

 However, it doesn’t stop there because the electric wiring in your building should be tested on a regular basis as well. If you are not an electrician, you probably never stop to think about the wiring in the building because you never see it. It is all hidden away in the walls, but it actually can deteriorate over time. This is why fixed electrical testing should also be carried out on a regular basis in order to ensure that you remain compliant. When your electrical wiring has been tested and found to be in good order you will receive an EICR – Electrical Installation Condition Report – which will confirm it.

As a rule of thumb, industrial installations should be tested every three years and other commercial installations every five. Domestic installations and owner-occupied homes should be tested every ten years. In addition to that, all installations should be tested every time there is a change of occupancy in order to ensure that everything is safe to use.   

Everything You Need To Know About PAT Testing

At Hawkesworth Appliance Testing we have been carrying out PAT testing for over 25 years and have over 100 qualified engineers strategically placed throughout the UK. Under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, as an employer it is your responsibility to ensure that all of your electrical equipment is safe to use. This includes everything from the office photocopier to the kettle your staff uses to make the afternoon tea. In fact, basically anything that has a plug needs to be PAT tested. 

A PAT test consists first of a visual inspection of the equipment checking for any damage that could cause the appliance to become faulty. The majority of fails actually occur under the visual inspection. Next is an in-depth inspection and test to look for any damage that may not be immediately apparent. This includes earth continuity, lead polarity and insulation resistance checks which is carried out using a Seaward Apollo 500 tester.  Finally, the equipment is given a function test to ensure that everything works as it is supposed to work.

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What Is The Cost Of PAT Testing?

If you are an employer there are a lot of rules that you are required to obey, even though you may not know what they are, or have ever been aware of their existence. A large number of them concern the safety of your employees at work and are things that you may not know about, such as floor safety. Did you know that 40% of all major injuries in the workplace are caused by slips and falls because floors are faulty?

Another thing is all the electrical equipment that you use in your business. Of course, you have computers, and as a good employer you no doubt provide your employees with a kettle so that they can make a cup of tea in the afternoon. Maybe there’s a fridge to supply cool drinks. If you own a factory you may operate all sorts of different electrical machinery. Most businesses simply couldn’t run without electrical equipment, but what happens if that equipment should become unsafe? And anyway, how would you know? It looks OK, and it works. But then you are not an electrician.

This is why you need PAT testing – and no, that’s not the office junior. Neither is it actually a legal requirement. However, what is a legal requirement is that you have to ensure the safety of your employees so far as is practicable. It just makes sense to use portable appliance testing, and it should be carried out on a regular basis in order to ensure that all your portable equipment – basically anything that has a plug – is safe to use.

There are companies that have qualified electricians that can carry out PAT testing up and down the country and issue you with safety certificates or explain why a piece of equipment failed the test.

What is the portable appliance testing price? That is a very fair question, but most companies work out the portable appliance testing price based on the number of appliances that you have that need to be tested.

Something That You May Never Have Considered As An Employer

If you run a business where you are a sole trader that is one thing, but if you employ people in an office or any other building then you have a legal obligation to ensure their safety “as far as is reasonable and practical”.

The problem that you may have is that there is a raft of legislation these days that you don’t stop to consider when you begin a business. After all, unless you are a lawyer, many of these laws cover things that wouldn’t ever occur to you. Let’s say you start an accountancy business. On your own. You gradually gain more clients and it gets to the point where you need to take on a junior accountant in order to handle all the work. Good for you!

Your business expands and now you have five people working for you. Great! But at what point do you consider having the wiring of the office that you are renting checked for safety? Err, right, You’re an accountant, not an electrician.

Yet the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 state that you are responsible for the safety of your workforce and that includes the safety of your electrical wiring. Heck, can anything go wrong with it? It’s hidden in the walls and the ceiling, so what could possibly happen to it? It couldn’t be anywhere more safe. Not even the office cat can get at it.

Here is a little eye-opener. Electrical wiring can and does deteriorate over time. It depends how much use it gets and upon the working environment, but it can deteriorate to the point where it is unsafe.

This is why you need to have fixed electrical testing on a regular basis carried out by a qualified electrician. Fixed electrical testing covers all of your wiring and sockets, together with any hard-wired appliances such as a cooker or a water heater that are not plugged in but wired directly into the circuit. (Anything that has a plug comes under the heading of portable appliance testing – and you need to have that done as well!).

What Is An EICR And Do I Need One?

Let’s answer both questions. An EICR is an Electrical Installation Condition Report and if you run a business you probably do. It would also make sense even if you don’t run a business but are just a householder.

The fact is that all electrical systems deteriorate over time. The problem is that we don’t very often even consider it. The factors that affect any electrical installation are the amount of use that it gets, the environment in which it is working, and the maintenance – if any – that it gets.

The trouble is that we think of electrical wiring, if we think at all, that it is just something that is there behind the walls or in the ceiling in the same way that we might think of the water pipes. They are just “there”. What could possibly go wrong?  

Unfortunately, they can and do go wrong. However, if something goes wrong with your water pipes the worst that is going to happen is you are going to get wet. If something goes wrong with your electrical wiring the worst that is going to happen is that somebody could die.

This is why the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 state: “As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonable and practicable, such danger". Unfortunately, the regulations don’t explain what is meant by “reasonable and practical”.

This is why you need a specialist engineer to inspect your wiring and sockets, and also any other fixed appliances such as a heated towel rail or a wired-in smoke detector, and check on its’ safety.

There are a number of companies in the UK who have qualified electricians who can carry out an EICR for you and provide you with a certificate of the condition of your wiring, and more importantly advise if anything needs to be done.

What does an EICR cost? There is no instant answer, but most companies that carry out an EICR will work out the EICR cost on the basis of how many circuits they have to inspect.

What Is The Cost Of PAT Testing?

If you are an employer there are a lot of rules that you are required to obey, even though you may not know what they are, or have ever been aware of their existence. A large number of them concern the safety of your employees at work and are things that you may not know about, such as floor safety. Did you know that 40% of all major injuries in the workplace are caused by slips and falls because floors are faulty?

Another thing is all the electrical equipment that you use in your business. Of course, you have computers, and as a good employer you no doubt provide your employees with a kettle so that they can make a cup of tea in the afternoon. Maybe there’s a fridge to supply cool drinks. If you own a factory you may operate all sorts of different electrical machinery. Most businesses simply couldn’t run without electrical equipment, but what happens if that equipment should become unsafe? And anyway, how would you know? It looks OK, and it works. But then you are not an electrician.

This is why you need PAT testing – and no, that’s not the office junior. Neither is it actually a legal requirement. However, what is a legal requirement is that you have to ensure the safety of your employees so far as is practicable. It just makes sense to use portable appliance testing, and it should be carried out on a regular basis in order to ensure that all your portable equipment – basically anything that has a plug – is safe to use.

There are companies that have qualified electricians that can carry out PAT testing up and down the country and issue you with safety certificates or explain why a piece of equipment failed the test.

What is the portable appliance testing price? That is a very fair question, but most companies work out the portable appliance testing price based on the number of appliances that you have that need to be tested.

Something That You May Never Have Considered As An Employer

If you run a business where you are a sole trader that is one thing, but if you employ people in an office or any other building then you have a legal obligation to ensure their safety “as far as is reasonable and practical”.

The problem that you may have is that there is a raft of legislation these days that you don’t stop to consider when you begin a business. After all, unless you are a lawyer, many of these laws cover things that wouldn’t ever occur to you. Let’s say you start an accountancy business. On your own. You gradually gain more clients and it gets to the point where you need to take on a junior accountant in order to handle all the work. Good for you!

To get more info visit us : Fixed electrical testing

What Is An EICR And Do I Need One?

Let’s answer both questions. An EICR is an Electrical Installation Condition Report and if you run a business you probably do. It would also make sense even if you don’t run a business but are just a householder.

The fact is that all electrical systems deteriorate over time. The problem is that we don’t very often even consider it. The factors that affect any electrical installation are the amount of use that it gets, the environment in which it is working, and the maintenance – if any – that it gets.

The trouble is that we think of electrical wiring, if we think at all, that it is just something that is there behind the walls or in the ceiling in the same way that we might think of the water pipes. They are just “there”. What could possibly go wrong?  

Unfortunately, they can and do go wrong. However, if something goes wrong with your water pipes the worst that is going to happen is you are going to get wet. If something goes wrong with your electrical wiring the worst that is going to happen is that somebody could die.

This is why the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 state: “As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonable and practicable, such danger". Unfortunately, the regulations don’t explain what is meant by “reasonable and practical”.

This is why you need a specialist engineer to inspect your wiring and sockets, and also any other fixed appliances such as a heated towel rail or a wired-in smoke detector, and check on its’ safety.

There are a number of companies in the UK who have qualified electricians who can carry out an EICR for you and provide you with a certificate of the condition of your wiring, and more importantly advise if anything needs to be done.

What does an EICR cost? There is no instant answer, but most companies that carry out an EICR will work out the EICRcost on the basis of how many circuits they have to inspect.

Portable Appliance Testing Is Sensible, But What Does It Cost?

When you run a business today, in the 21st century, you are subject to a whole raft of laws which simply didn’t exist 40 years ago. It is quite possible that you wouldn’t even think about many of these laws because you are running a business and your focus is on profit.

However, among many other things, today we have Health and Safety, (one well-known journalist refers to it as “Elf’n’Safety”) which also didn’t exist 40 years ago. Now we have the HSE – Health & Safety Executive. It is not necessarily a bad thing, although there are so many rules and recommendations that understanding them all almost requires a university degree. Some people might consider that they are a little “over the top”.

Now the HSE doesn’t actually make the laws – the government does that – but it does advise about them. The HSE cannot force you to do anything, but the government can.

Some of the laws are very confusing. For instance, you are required to ensure that all your electrical equipment in your business is safe for your employees to use. This is why portable appliance testing came into being. Your appliances can be tested for safety by a qualified electrician. The law doesn’t require you to use portable appliance testing, but – unless you are a qualified electrician – how are you going to know? The law also suggests that you should have your appliances tested “regularly” but doesn’t state what that means. Every week? Once every 20 years? Both would be “regular”.

In fact, popular opinion suggests that it would be advisable to have them tested once a year. That way, you can be sure that you are complying with the law to keep your employees safe.

The simple fact is that electrical appliances DO degenerate with wear and tear, and the more they are used the faster they will wear out and become potentially dangerous.

So portable appliance testing for your business makes total sense. However, what does portable appliance testing cost? That rather depends on how many portable appliances you have in your business, because the more there are the longer it will take a qualified engineer to test them. As a very general guide, companies that provide testing will apply a portable appliance testing cost based on the number of appliances, and this can range from £1.00 to £2.00 per appliance.

What’s The Price of PAT Testing?

If you are an employer, there are a lot of rules and regulations about which you may be blissfully unaware, but which you are nonetheless required to adhere to. Not knowing about them is not a criticism. Let’s look at it this way: you decide to start in business on your own account, quite possibly copying the business of someone you have recently worked for, and with that entrepreneurial spirit believe that you could do it better and at the same time make more money than just the usual monthly pay cheque.

That is a good thing, and it is how business grows. So you probably start off as a one man business, providing your goods or services. You begin to succeed, so you take on an employee to help with the workload. You can see where this is going. As your business grows you take on more and more employees, move to bigger premises, and so on.

Has it ever occurred to you that you need to consider that the kettle in your office kitchen, which your staff uses to make tea and coffee, could be dangerous? Has it ever occurred to you that your own kettle in your kitchen at home could be dangerous? Very likely not. Yet they could be.

Even more, did you know that there are LAWS covering the electrical appliances in your office? If you started from scratch on your own and your business has grown, it has probably never occurred to you at all. After all, how would you know? Yet those laws exist, and you can get into serious trouble if someone is injured.

There are lots of other things such as fire risk assessments and more, (Oh, yes), but just let’s consider electrical appliances. Yes, as they wear, they can become dangerous. This is why PAT testing (Portable Appliance Testing) was introduced. You need to have your appliances tested to ensure that they are safe. That means that you need a qualified electrical engineer to do the job.

Of course, you would want to know the PAT testing price, but there is no easy answer. Fairly obviously, the PAT testing price is going to depend upon how many appliances need testing, because the more of them you have, the longer it is going to take. But you DO need to get PAT testing done in order to comply with the law.

Regulations Affecting Electrical Installations and Equipment in the Workplace

All electrical installations will deteriorate over a period of time. How quickly or slowly they will deteriorate depends on the amount of use they get, the working environment, and how regularly they are maintained. In order to ensure the safety of employees and customers, a business should have testing of the electrical installations on a regular basis.

There is actually no specific law regarding the testing of electrical installations, but there are several laws regarding safety in the workplace. The simplest way to ensure that you are complying with these laws is to have an EICR inspection carried out on a regular basis. EICR stands for Electrical Inspection Condition Report, and while there are no specific regulations regarding an EICR it is recommended that in industrial premises an inspection should be carried out every three years. In other commercial premises it is every five, and in domestic premises every ten. An inspection should also be carried out whenever there is a change of occupancy.

The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 states that employers and employees must ensure the health and safety of everyone in the workplace – including any visitors or customers.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 specify what constitutes electrical equipment and requires that electrical systems must be maintained. A regular inspection is a part of preventative maintenance. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 requires the employer to ensure that any equipment used by employees that uses a source of electrical energy must be safely maintained. That doesn’t only include equipment used for the job, but includes anything else, such as a kettle.

Insurance companies are increasingly requiring electrical inspections to be carried out before providing insurance. If an avoidable accident or fire occurs as the result of faulty equipment you can be brought before a court and if found guilty will have committed a criminal offence.

People do ask about an electrical installation condition report cost, but there is no straightforward answer. The electrical inspection condition report cost for a 25-storey hotel will obviously be more than the cost for a knitting wool shop or an office with half a dozen employees.

A Guide To The Inspection And Testing Of Electrical Appliancesa

Electrical Safety First is a UK charity that is dedicated to reducing deaths and injuries caused by electrical accidents. It has produced a guide to portable and stationary appliance testing in private rented accommodation which is aimed at landlords and those acting for them such as managing agents.

As regards the competency of persons carrying out appliance inspection and testing, there are a number of examination bodies including City and Guilds and EAL who offer qualifications addressed at both those carrying out the inspection and testing of appliances and those responsible for overseeing such activities. 

Read more information : Appliance Inspection and Testing

The Need For An EICR, Or Fixed Wire Testing, In Your Business

As a UK business you have a responsibility to ensure that your premises are compliant with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. You are probably aware that this includes regular PAT testing, or portable appliance testing. That basically covers anything at all in your business that has a plug on the end of it.

So why use Hawkesworth to carry out an EICR for you? To begin with, we have over 100 fully qualified engineers covering the whole of the UK, and they are accredited by NICEIC and the ECA among other qualifying schemes. We provide you with a dedicated account manager, and we also offer free advice if anything needs attention. We conduct a lot of EICR tests every year along with over 7 million PAT tests, and we have over 25 years’ experience of doing it. When we have completed the inspection, we provide you with an Electrical Installation Condition Report Certificate.

Read for full blog : Electrical Installation Condition Report Certificate.

Do You Need An EICR For Your Business Or Rental Premises?

An EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is a report on the condition of the wiring of a building leading to plug sockets, lights, and so on. It used to be known as a landlord safety test, and today is also referred to under a number other names such as fixed wire test.

If you are a landlord and rent out a property that is in a dangerous condition, you can be prosecuted. In fact, in many areas the local council will insist on an EICR as a condition for licencing rental accommodation. If something were to go wrong and your tenant received electrocution, claiming that you didn’t know that the wiring was in poor condition is not a defence. It is also the case that many insurance companies will require an EICR before they will provide cover on your business or rental property.

How often should an EICR be carried out? This depends on the type of property, among other things. If it is your own home, it is recommended to have it tested every 10 years. However, if it is a rental property you should have it tested every five years, and also whenever there is a change of tenant. Industrial premises should be tested every three years, and other commercial premises or public buildings such as libraries should be tested every five years.

During an EICR test, the fuseboard and wiring are tested, and the adequacy of the earthing and bonding will be checked. Any damage or wear and tear will be looked for and any damaged electrical fittings as well. 

Many people want to know about the EICR report cost which predominantly depends on the number of circuits there are to be tested.  Please call us on 01845 524498 for a bespoke quotation.

Some Of The Electrical Testing We Conduct At Hawkesworth

Hawkesworth Appliance Testing is one of the leading portable appliance testing companies in the UK with over 100 City & Guilds 2377 certified engineers covering the whole of the country. The law requires that you are compliant with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, and if you fail to test your appliances you could be putting your business, your employees, and yourself, at risk. 

In a PAT test we first use a visual inspection to check the appliance for any damage, and this is critical because, in fact, most fails occur at this stage. We then carry out an in-depth inspection and test which will identify any damage that may not be immediately apparent. Finally, we carry out a function test to check that everything works as it is supposed to. We then provide you with a full report and certification. 

The cost of PAT testing will depend on the number of appliances that you need to have tested but our rates are highly competitive, and we will give you a firm quote. This will also include testing out of working hours if you wish, so that it doesn’t interrupt your normal working pattern. 

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The Need for a Fixed Wire Test on Your Premises

EICR testing actually stands for an Electrical Installation Condition Report and is also known as fixed wire testing, hard wire testing, and electrical testing. It covers all the fixed wires that lead to your lighting, power sockets, radiators, hard wired smoke detectors, fire alarms, emergency lighting, and so on. It is similar to a PAT test but does not cover equipment. Instead it covers everything that supplies the power to that equipment. Assuming that all is in good order when inspected by a fully qualified engineer, you will then be issued with an EICR Certificate.

It is necessary to have a fixed wire test on a regular basis in order to ensure that your business complies with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. However, in common with PAT testing, those regulations do not state how often you should have a fixed wire test, but there are recommendations.

In domestic installations, it is sufficient to have a test carried out every ten years. Commercial installations should be tested every five years, while industrial installations should have a test carried out every three years. In addition to this, a test should always be carried out when there is any change of occupancy. 

If an inspector finds that there are faults, then he will not issue an EICR Certificate and those faults will be issued with a code. The Code C1 means that there is an item where there is danger present, for example an exposed live part. The inspector will warn the client of this immediately so that action can be taken straight away. Code C2 is for a condition which is potentially dangerous but requires another event to take place. An example of this is an unearthed Class I light fitting which is not immediately dangerous, but a live conductor touching the metal casing would make it dangerous, as that part would be live, and the circuit protection would not operate.

Code C3 means that improvement is recommended. This could be something as simple as missing warning labels. There is also FI which means “Further Investigation” and shows that the inspector cannot come to a satisfactory conclusion without further investigation or information.

The issue of a C1, C2, or FI on a report means that the EICR is unsatisfactory.

The Importance of PAT Testing In Your Business

If you are a business owner, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 make it your responsibility to ensure that all the electrical equipment in your premises is safe to use, and unless you are a qualified electrician and ideally the holder of a City & Guilds 2377-22 certification in PAT testing or higher, you cannot do this satisfactorily. You would also have to purchase a PAT testing machine which has to be calibrated annually and labels to generate reports.

PAT testing – Portable Appliance Testing – basically applies to anything at all on your premises that has a plug. So it covers your copiers, kettle, IT equipment, fixed equipment, moveable equipment under 18kg, hand held equipment, and so on.

All of this means that you need to have your electrical equipment inspected and tested regularly by a qualified engineer who can issue you with a PAT testing certificate, assuming that your equipment passes the test.    

Oddly enough, although the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 make it your responsibility to ensure your equipment is safe to use, they do not state how often it needs to be tested. However, there are recommendations, and these will depend on the type of equipment and the regularity of use.

Class 1 equipment has basic insulation and requires an earth. Examples of Class 1 equipment are kettles, toasters, heaters, fridges, irons, microwaves, washing machines, stationary equipment, IT equipment and so on. Class 2 equipment has supplementary insulation and does not rely on an earth for protections. Examples are TV’s, power tools, hair dryers, DVD players, and so on.

In offices, shops, and hotels, Class 1 equipment should be tested every 48 months, portable equipment every 24 months, and hand-held equipment every 12 months. In schools, Class 1 equipment should be tested every 12 months and Class 2 equipment every 48 months.

Industrial sites, including commercial kitchens, should have portable and hand-held equipment tested every 6 months, and stationary, IT, and moveable equipment every 12 months. All 110v equipment on construction sites should be tested every 3 months in order to receive a PAT testing certificate.