If you work from home, or run a business where you are based at home and take equipment to other locations, this information is for you. Even though you work at home, you are still working so the Electricity at Work, and Health and Safety at Work regulations still apply. 

In any workplace, equipment provided for use by others or equipment for use in others’ locations must maintain safe standards. 

If you work from home for yourself, such as in a bedroom converted office then you probably won’t need your equipment testing unless your insurance company specifies it but if you have staff who come into your home office to use your equipment then you need it testing for them. 

If you work for another company, and they employ you to work from home then you need to get the equipment tested, although your employer should be paying for it to be done. See our homeworkers blog post for more information. 

Finally if you use home as your base but do your work in other locations then you need the equipment you take with you tested, and most probably the sites you are going to will want to see your PAT testing certificates. This would apply to builders and other tradesmen, mobile DJ’s and disco companies, singers, musicians, bands, and anyone else who takes electrical equipment into other premises such as hotels, mobile hairdressers going into care homes, etc. 

We cover all of the North East including Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Co. Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire.