what is PAT Testing?
What is PAT Testing?
PAT Testing or Portable Appliance Testing is the process where electrical appliances are routinely checked to see that they are safe.
When people work with electrical appliances, Health and safety regulations say the appliance must be safe. PAT Testing should be carried out at regular intervals to ensure continual safety; the interval between tests depending on both the type of appliance and the environment it is used in.
Many people will have seen evidence of portable appliance testing in the small labels stuck to power cables around their offices.
Most people assume that all appliances have to be tested every year, but this isntt the case. All the law requires is that appliances are safe - as far as is reasonably practicable. However, guidance from the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggest intervals for inspection and testing, ranging from 3 months for construction equipment to 4 years for computers in offices.
Portable Appliance Testing is usually abbreviated to 'PAT.' The phrase 'PAT Testing' is in fact a tautology in the same way that many people say 'LCD Display' However, the phrase is commonly used in the industry even though the majority of people realise it is incorrect. The correct term for the whole process is actually 'In-service Inspection & Testing of Electrical Equipment'.