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.