Pat Testing

We provide a simple and honest pricing guide. No gimmicks, no misleading fee information. We will do our utmost to ensure you receive the best possible price.

 

Items	Price
up to 15	£90	Fixed fee
16 - 50	£90	First 15 items then £1.76 each
51 - 99	£2.36	Each
100 - 149	£1.74	Each
150 - 500	£1.25	Each
501 - 1000	£1.16	Each
1000 - 3000	£1.03	Each
3000+	Please call for a quote

• No call out charge or travel expenses and NO REPAIR FEES.

• Out of hours service available at no extra cost.

• All Prices are inclusive of VAT.

Make an enquiry with us today - we will give you a price for your order over the phone.  Call 07770 563256

 

 

PAT Testing requirements for Businesses/Organisations

Employers Responsibility:

To comply with the 1989 Electricity at work regulations, it is necessary to implement a programme of Inspection and testing of all necessary portable appliances.

The Electricity at work regulations state:

Regulation 4: "as may be necessary to prevent danger all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent so far as reasonably practicable such danger."

There is an obligation to carry out a programme of testing, maintenance and inspection:

• Where ANY appliances are used by employees

• Where the public may use appliances in places such as hospitals, schools, hotels, shops etc

• where appliances are supplied or hired

• Where appliances are serviced or repaired

• Landlords also have a duty to take certain precautions against injury or death

The laws promoted by the HSE and other organisations are designed to improve safety for all in the workplace and other public areas or buildings. With a simple, systematic PAT testing regime you can comply with legislation and ensure that your workforce, your customers and your people are fully protected. 
Because of this we can operate outside of normal working hours to suit the customer. Evening and weekend appointments carry no extra charges.

The following list represents some of the key legislative instruments that govern how electrical safety is monitored and controlled in the UK:

The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974,
The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
Product recall information

Please look at 'Our Expertise' tab where we have prepared a detailed summary of the testing procedure to enable you to fully understand what will happen during a test performed by 240 Volts Ltd.

Here we explain in more detail what happens during a Portable Appliance Test

 

An electric appliance may be classed as "portable" if connected to the mains by way of a flexible lead and plug.

Everything from TV's, PC's, office equipment, power tools, fridges, printers and microwaves come under this banner.

 

There is no specific regulation that demands PAT tests be carried out.

However “The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989” (which came into force in 1990) impose a duty on all people in the workplace (employers, employees, self employed etc) to take precautions against risk of injury or death arising out of the use of electrical equipment.

It has quite rightly become common practice for PAT testing to be carried out as part of a regular system of maintenance and inspection.

 

In order to assist the testing process and help our engineer manage the work efficiently, the following recommendations are made:

- Notify all staff that an electrical engineer will be on site. Ensure that all staff are courteous and helpful to the engineer.

- Computers will need to be switched off prior to each machine being tested.

- Office staff may need to vacate their workstation for (usually) around 5-7 minutes for a PC to be fully tested.

- Servers and other business critical machinery will not be switched off or otherwise affected. A visual inspection of such items is usually sufficient.

- Kitchen equipment will be inaccessible whilst testing is being carried out.

- A site contact will need to be on hand to welcome the engineer and sign off the work register once the tests have been completed. The engineer may also need to access secure areas of the site.

- If the tests are to be carried out on building / construction sites, please ensure that all tools are readily available for the test to be conducted.

- Any site access, ID or authorisation cards must be prepared in advance of the engineers arrival.

 

Visual inspection

Prior to testing each item, a visual inspection is carried out. This incorporates the following:

 

• Plugs

Checking that the plug top is not cracked and is in a safe condition. Cord grips must be in good condition and properly adjusted. Correct fuse must be fitted (to BS1362) or replaced if necessary.

 

• Flexible cords

All flexible cords must have adequate insulation and must be in good condition. An inspection of both ends of any detachable cord is necessary to ensure the appliance is safe. Flexes shall be replaced or re-terminated if necessary.

 

• Equipment enclosures

All enclosures must be fit for purpose showing no signs of damage or wear and tear. Live parts must only be accessible with specialist tools and all screws / bolts must be securely fastened.

 

The Test

The following specific tests will be carried out where appropriate:
1. Earth continuity test
2. Insulation test (or instead an earth leakage measurement)
3. Flash test
4. Load test
5. Operation test
6. Earth leakage test

 

Labelling and identification

 

An identification label specifying our company name, appliance ID number and date for renewal of the test, will be provided for each and every item tested. The labels are discreet and will be prominently affixed to each item / asset. All old test labels will be removed.

Bar code labelling and ID registry systems can be utilised at the customer’s request.

 

ID Register

A log of each item tested will be provided in database format. Bar coding systems can be adopted compatible with Seward PAT guard software. We can also deliver reports in MS Excel format or through additional electronic media upon request. An equipment register or asset ID list is provided with each and every testing project that we carry out detailing all necessary information. Items that fail the test will be clearly identified. As will the class of the item, the readings associated with the test and confirmation of whether the test was visual only or fully completed.

 

Reporting,

Following completion of the test, a compliance & reporting pack is provided which incorporates the following:

• ID register
• Summary of the test results data
• Details of the next anticipated test phase
• Details of any items that FAILED during the test (such items will be taken out of service by our engineer)
• Details of any remedial works
• Discussion or summary of any relevant points / recommendations.

 

Failures

Any equipment failing the tests will be fitted with a clear label stating “FAIL - Please do not use”. The item will be withdrawn from service and we will recommend a course of action regarding remedial repair or replacement. The item will be clearly recorded within the formal reporting documents.

 

Remedial repairs

Our service and our pricing structure includes carrying out remedial works where possible provided that these are limited to any of the following:

• Replacing plugs
• Re-wiring plugs
• Re-clamping
• Replacing fuses

Our pledge to carry our remedial works free of charge is conditional on the assumption that equipment is generally in good order and well maintained.

 

1) What is a "Portable Appliance"?

From a legal perspective a portable electrical appliance is defined as an item that is not part of a fixed installation but is connected to such an installation by way of a flexible lead, plug and socket This therefore means that any items such as electric drills, kettles, fridges, microwaves, PCs, printers, monitors, extension leads etc will all come under the portable appliance heading. Larger items such as photo copiers, fax machines, scanners etc will also be classified as portable appliances.  

2) Who or what does the legislation apply to?

To comply with the 1989 Electricity at work regulations, it is necessary to implement a programme of Inspection and testing of all necessary portable appliances. The Electricity at work regulations state:
Regulation 4: "as may be necessary to prevent danger all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent so far as reasonably practicable such danger." This affects employers, Landlords and many other business organisations.

3) How often do you have to undergo the tests?

Because there is no direct rule applying to PAT testing, more an obligation to take precautions, there is n hard and fast rule about the time scales between tests. Generally most businesses will take the view that an annual test is sensible. This helps with insurance premiums and provides peace of mind.

The employer must really assess the risk level associated with the item. If a piece of equipment is used regularly and is considered high risk, such an item should be tested at least annually if not bi-annually.

4) Who can perform the tests?

Only a "competent person" can perform the tests.

5) Can the tests be done during or outside normal business hours?

The work can be done in or out of office hours. Our service provides scope for out of hours testing to be carried out at NO extra cost (for orders above 300 items).

6) Are the machines unplugged or moved?

The machines need to be unplugged but not relocated or moved anywhere else. The tests take place on site at the specific desk / workstation concerned. The appliance needs to be unplugged to allow the testing machine to read the necessary data and deliver an adequate test.

7) Is it possible for IT equipment to be damaged?

NO - our specialist equipment and our expertise means that his will simply not happen.

8) How long does the test take?

This is dependent on the number of appliances per floor, work area or unit. A testing sequence for an office desk work station can take up to 15 minutes if there are a number of appliances to assess. Most office work stations have around 6 appliances to a unit.

9) Explain about the labelling system?

All appliances that are tested need to be properly identified by way of labelling. Our engineers will apply labels to all tested items detailing the date of test, whether the PA passed or failed and when the retest date is due.

10) What happens if an item fails?

Most failures are easily dealt with and our engineers will advise you of the best course of action on the day of the inspection OR in the final report issued to you on completion of the job.