We help you maintain safe electrical equipment through Fixed Appliance Testing

DRA PAT Testing, established in 2009 are experts in the Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, which includes both Portable and Fixed Appliances.

Our engineers are here to help you improve safety to prevent electrical accidents in your workplace.

Electrical appliances that need inspecting and tester under a PAT test include appliances fitted with a plug, and those that were bought with a plug on but have now been hard wired.

All other appliances do not apply. Any item that is on a service plan with a specialist engineer like an electrically powered escalator or air conditioning system, are not and have never been part of PAT.

However, portable appliances (those fitted with a plug), that have been hard wired into the building’s installation by removing the plug and securing the wires in an plastic white box outlet (called a spur) with a fuse and or switch, do fall within the remit of PAT.

However, again, the PAT tester only inspects to the point where the appliance flexible lead enters the outlet, and not within the outlet. They would test the appliance for earth continuity using test probes connected to a conductive part of the appliance, and the screw of the outlet.

A fixed appliance can’t be checked for insulation resistance and polarity without accessing the internal parts of the outlet, but that area is part of the scope of the electricians inspection (EICR), so best left alone.

We would assume the wiring up of the device has been done correctly, as it is done by a highly trained electrician and signed off with a ‘minor works certificate’ (see below).

• An electrician doing an EICR checks the wiring of the building from the fuse board to the outlet, and
• A PAT Tester checks the appliance to the plug which can be plugged into the outlet.

When the plug has been removed, and the appliance hard wired, this has been done by an electrician, so the electrician is the one who must inspect the wiring.

The PAT tester can test the appliance, but the test is limited. 

For appliances that have an ‘earth’ such as kitchen whitegoods, we can do a earth continuity test. For those that don’t, the most we can do is visually inspect. To do an insulation resistance check we’d need to access the wiring, and we have established that is not within the remit of PAT.

This same process is already carried out on integrated kitchen appliances, where the risk of removing the appliance from its housing (e.g. kitchen cupboards) is high, as damage could be caused, so we carry out a ‘point to point’ test between the spur and the appliance’s earth point.

If an Insulation Resistance test must be done then the electrician will need to do it.

A fixed appliance is an appliance fixed to the mains, for example wall mounted water heater, that is connected to the mains via a spur unit.

Who tests appliances that are fixed?

• If the appliance has a plug, the PAT tester would test it
• If the appliance is hard wired, it should be tested by a competent person (i.e. a PAT tester doing a Point to Point test or an electrician for a full test).

There is no guidance anywhere that says a PAT tester must test a fixed appliance, nor is there any guidance (or rules) that require a PAT Tester to be competent to do so.

Let’s be clear though:

• An electrician doing an EICR tests from the fuse board to the socket/switch outlet but not the appliance plugged into it or attached to it
• A PAT tester checking the appliances, tests from the appliance to the plug or to the outside of the socket/switch but not the wiring inside

When the appliance was hard wired by an electrician, a ‘Minor Works Certificate’ (MWC) was required, to confirm the appliance had been wired in correctly. The certificate is needed when the appliance is installed or even replaced, even if it’s just connecting it to an existing circuit. This applies even if the work doesn’t involve creating a new circuit. The certificate verifies that the work is safe and complies with relevant electrical regulations.

Whilst not always notifiable under Part P of the building regulations (especially for certain kitchen and outdoor work), the Minor Works Certificate is still a requirement of the wiring regulations (BS 7671).

So you should have one from the installation. If the PAT tester unwired the appliance and reattached it, we’d need to get a new certificate.

Common ‘Fixed’ Appliances a competent PAT Tester would test, assuming they are fixed via Plug and socket:

• Water heaters (e.g. under-sink units)
• Hand dryers (plug-in models)
• Electric ovens (if plugged in)
• Fridges and freezers (if plugged in)
• Microwaves
• Dishwashers
• Washing machines
• Tumble dryers

Some fixed appliances, are not within scope of PAT, and never have been. These are appliances that are serviced by experts, such as escalators, and hand-driers.

These need a bit more care and should only be tested if the PAT tester is competent and authorised (ideally electrically qualified):

• Wall-mounted electric heaters
• Hand dryers (hardwired)
• Extractor fans
• Electric showers
• Boilers
• Heated towel rails
• Commercial kitchen equipment (e.g. fryers, bain-maries)
• Some built-in appliances (e.g. built-in ovens, dishwashers)

A PAT Testing company you can trust, with fair prices and high standards, our all inclusive service is utilised by clients throughout the UK. Our clients have peace of mind from our work because they know when we say an appliance is safe, it really is.

✔  Free remedial repairs including rewires, replacement BS1363 plugs and fuses

✔  Guidance on how to improve safety through cable management and socket protection

✔  Comprehensive, compliant PAT Testing Certificate Reports including electrical readings

✔  Guidance on retest periods based on risk, compliance and insurance

We are currently one of the leading PAT testing companies in the North East with more 5-star reviews (over 500 across all platforms) than any other UK PAT Tester.

We have a team of experienced, qualified professional engineers all trained to operate to high standards, who work with assigned clients long term ensuring the best possible nurtured relationship which in turn leads to you having peace of mind that the engineer knows your business and how to maintain safety within it.

We believe in taking away your stress, by managing your electrical safety inspections for you, and reminding you when they are next due, so you can forget all about them. We can test all types of electrical equipment including industrial, 3-phase and fixed equipment as well as fixed wiring inspections.