Why do we do PAT testing? Electrical appliances start off life perfectly safe, but over time they can deteriorate to such an extent that there is a real risk of electric shock to a user or the appliance catching fire. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) ensures electrical appliances are safe to be used (much like an MOT checks your car is safe to be driven). Here in the UK all workplaces must make sure electrical appliances are safe [...]
When you get PAT testing quotes you're going to come across many companies wanting to charge you for socket checks... Some national firms charge as much as £39.99 to look at your sockets, no different to how you do, and tell you that they're all fine or one has a crack - you don't need to pay for that. Checking sockets is not a formal part of PAT testing, but is part of [...]
User Checks What are User Checks? We're all responsible for our own health and safety, so it is essential before starting to use an electrical appliance you do your own User Checks. But what is a user check? It is a simple check of the appliance to make sure it looks safe to use.. Does the cable have any cuts? Is the plug in tact? Does anything look wrong? [...]
PAT Testing for Charity Shops What Charity Shops have to do when selling second hand electrical equipment Make sure appliances are safe If you are selling electrical goods in charity shops you need to make sure the appliance works, and is safe to use, before you sell it. It seems so obvious to us, and you probably, but you'll be surprised how many charity shops sell junk [...]
How often do I need to get PAT Testing done? How often do I need to get PAT Testing done is a topic for discussion on so many occasions, but our best advice is this - Keep it simple Most customers want to know how often PAT testing needs doing for the wrong reasons; it shouldn't be about how much money can be saved. A better question [...]
Have you heard about the PAT Testing Network's campaign to show customers what is NOT PAT Testing? The national standards organisation want to raise the profile of the appliance testing industry, illustrating the importance of good appliance testing over poor standards. Some naughty people out there are getting away with charging customers hard earned money for a poor service, and the people at the PTN want to show their customers what is happening. No one [...]
