Museum PAT testing
PAT testing (Portable Appliance Testing) is the best method for checking electrical equipment with a plug is safe to continue using, and helps you to comply with workplace regulations.
DRA PAT Testing’s expert engineers have plenty of museum PAT testing experience, having helped maintain National Trust properties’ electrical equipment for many years, as well as at other museums across the United Kingdom
Our Museum PAT Testing Service
We specialise in PAT testing electrical equipment, so we can help you maintain safe electrics in your museum! Most Museum equipment is the same type as found in any other workplace, although there are some specialist appliances so you can be assured we have come across most before and have the experience and adaptors to test them. Having PAT tested Cragside House for the National Trust for many years we have come across most types of equipment and are well versed in working carefully to not damage priceless artefacts.
If we need to work out of hours so as not to disturb your visitors appointments are available.
We provide an efficient, reliable and cost-effective service with minimal disruption by experienced engineers whose work gives you peace of mind that your equipment is safe to continue using.
As an experienced PAT testing company we can operate in all environments, so even if your business is not exclusively museum we can still help you.
- Free and automatic remedial repairs
- Free replacement plugs & fuses
- Free cable management to ensure efficiency, safety and tidiness
- Minimal disruption guarenteed
If you have server systems we can work with you to test them out of hours, once in a five year spell (they don’t need doing every year either), and can check them visually or even with thermal imagery at regular intervals. Some companies say they will do a ‘full visual inspection’ on your server but if they can’t unplug it they can’t fully inspect it.
Regular PAT testing can help you reduce insurance premiums, as it equates to a risk assessment of your electrical equipment, helping to determine the safety levels in your business, and the need for more or less frequent inspections.
On completion of the job you will receive a fully itemised PAT Testing Certificate Report with guidance on what we have done and ways in which you could improve your office appliance safety.
Included in the price is remedial repairs to the existing plug and cable, replacement plugs and fuses, guidance on retests, timely reminders and your fully itemised PAT Testing Certificate Report sent within 24 hours. On top of that we can also do your electrical installation inspection too (EICR).
Frequently asked questions about Museum PAT Testing
What are the benefits of PAT Testing?
- It reduces the risk of injury or death to yourself, employees, visitors, etc.
- It reduces the risk of fire through faulty electrical equipment
- It reduces the risk of fire from misuse of electrical equipment
- It helps you fulfil your legal obligations for a safe workplace
Many insurance policies require PAT testing; if you do not maintain safe equipment and there is an accident your insurance policy may be void.
How often should we get the museum PAT testing done?
Many museums get their testing done every year, which is perfectly fine and best practice. Getting appliances tested every year ensures you keep on top of things and any issues arising will likely get fixed before they become too much of an issue.
However, if you follow HSE guidance you don’t need to do that; when we see your set up, and have tested all your equipment we’ll be able to best guide you. In most cases a test every couple of years should be enough.
We have staff working from home, do we have to test their equipment too?
As an employer you have a duty of care to your staff, whether they work at the office, in the field or at home; which means if you’re getting the office PAT testing done then you need to also get the engineers’ equipment that they keep in their vans, and the equipment used by staff in their home.
We can work with you to visit all staff in their homes to test their equipment, or (to save money) you could ask the employees to bring their equipment into the office to be tested – if you can get all staff to bring their equipment in and we do them in bulk that’ll be a big money saver for you. Have a look at our home-workers page for more information on this.