Portable appliance testing (PAT) is the testing of electrical equipment and appliances to ensure that they’re safe to use by employees, visitors, and customers.
As an employer, you have a legal responsibility to ensure that the electrical equipment in your business is well-maintained and safe to use.
Here, we take a look at whether there are penalties for not arranging PAT testing and why this type of testing is so important.
What is PAT testing?
PAT testing combines both visual inspections of electrical items and testing itself, as some faults can only be picked up by one of these methods.
Although someone from your business could be responsible for frequent visual checks of equipment and appliances, having this carried out by a competent person at frequent intervals is the best way to ensure everything is in safe working order.
Is PAT testing a legal requirement?
Although PAT testing itself isn’t a legal requirement, the law does state that, as an employer, you must ensure that all electrical equipment is maintained to prevent danger.
If you don’t, this could put you in breach of related laws, including the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and Electricity at Work regulations (1989).
By not paying attention to the safety of your electrical items, you would not be compliant with your legal duties as an employer. Regular PAT testing can be part of effective maintenance so you can rest assured that you’re doing what you can to keep your employees safe.
What could happen if I don’t arrange PAT testing?
If you don’t arrange PAT testing and uphold excellent maintenance of your electrical equipment and appliances, someone could get hurt on your premises. This should be your main concern when deciding how to ensure that your electrical items are well maintained.
However, you could also face large fines or even imprisonment should the electrical equipment in your business be found to be unsafe.
Do you need to get your appliances PAT tested? If so, contact our Intersafe team today and book a test.
