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P A T t e s t 4 U™
Portable Appliance Testing Specialist

Portable Appliance Testing Specialist

Darlington - County Durham - The North East

Call us on 0845 519 2751

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Frequently Asked Questions @ P A T t e s t 4 U™
Portable Appliance Testing Specialists


A picture of a keyboard What is Portable Appliance Testing a.k.a. PAT testing?
Is Portable Appliance Testing a legal requirement?
What do the Regulations State?
What does a portable appliance testing test consist of?
What types of appliances need testing?
How frequently do my appliances need to be portable appliance tested?
Can I carry out In-house Portable Appliance Testing?
How much do you charge?
Why PATtest4U™ & SOHO IT™ Solutions?
Does Portable Appliance Testing affect our insurance cover?
What areas do you cover?
How long will the portable appliance testing take?
Will the portable appliance testing be disruptive?


What is Portable Appliance Testing aka PAT Testing?

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is an important part of a company's or individual's responsibility to health and safety. This is done using a series of specialised testing procedures on your portable appliances.

Is Portable Appliance Testing a legal requirement?

Portable Appliance Testing is a statutory requirement and many insurance companies require the insured to comply with all current regulations.

What does the Regulations state?

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, states that "As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, such danger" (Regulation 4(2)). "Electrical equipment includes anything used, intended to be used or installed for use, to generate, provide, transmit, transform, rectify, convert, conduct, distribute, control, store, measure or use electrical energy." (Regulation 2(1)).



The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, states that "Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided." (Regulation 4(1)). This includes all work equipment (fixed, portable or transportable) connected to a source of electrical energy."

What does a Portable Appliance Testing test consist of?

We start with a visual inspection checking for:

  • Damaged flexes
  • Damaged plugs and equipment (overheating, burn marks, discolouration)
  • Correctly wired plugs
  • Correctly rated fuse

Then a series of tests (depending on the class of equipment), they may include:

  • Earth continuity testing
  • Insulation resistance
  • Polarity test
  • Earth leakage test

What types of appliances need testing?

Basically, any type of equipment, which is powered by electrical energy. The IEE Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment states that this Code of Practice covers:

Portable Appliances
An appliance of less than 18 kg in mass that is intended to be moved while in operation or an appliance which can easily be moved from one place to another, e.g. toaster, food mixer, vacuum cleaner, fan heater.
Movable or Transportable Equipment
This is equipment, which is either: 18 kg or less in mass and not fixed, e.g. electric fire, or equipment with wheels, castors or other means to facilitate movement by the operator as required to perform its intended use, e.g. air conditioning unit.
Hand-held Appliances
This is portable equipment intended to be held in the hand during normal use, e.g. hair dryer, drill, soldering iron
Stationary Equipment or Appliances
This equipment has a mass exceeding 18 kg and is not provided with a carrying handle, e.g. refrigerator, washing machine.
Fixed Equipment/Appliances
This is equipment of an appliance, which is fastened to a support or otherwise secured in a specified location, e.g. bathroom heater, towel rail.
Appliances/Equipment for Building In
This equipment is intended to be installed in a prepared recess such as a cupboard or similar. In general, equipment for building in does not have an enclosure on all sides because on one or more of the sides, additional protection against electric shock is provided by the surroundings e.g. a built-in electric cooker.
Information Technology Equipment
Information technology equipment includes electrical business equipment such as computer and mains powered telecommunications equipment, and other equipment for general business use, such as mail processing machines, electric plotters, trimmers, VDU's, data terminal equipment, typewriters, telephones, printers, photo-copiers, power packs.
Extension Leads
The use of extension leads should be avoided where possible. If used, they should be tested as portable appliances. It is recommended that 3-core leads (including a protective earthing conductor) be used.

How often do my appliances need to be Portable Appliance Tested?

The frequency of testing depends on the type of equipment and the environment in which it is used. The frequencies we recommend are based on the guidelines included in the Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. ISBN: 0-85296-776-4

Can I carry out Portable Appliance Testing in-house?

Yes, however, you would need to ensure that any person who carries this testing out is competent to do so. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 guidance on Regulation 4(3) state that: "The operation, maintenance and testing of electrical systems and equipment should be carried out only by those person who are competent for the particular class of work." This is covered by the IEE Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment which states: "Those carrying out inspection and testing must be competent to undertake the inspection and, where appropriate, testing of electrical equipment an appliances having due regard to their own safety and that of others.

How much will it cost?

PATtest4U™ and SOHO IT™ have a basic On-site call out rate with additional appliances based on quantity. For a free, no obligation quote, call us now on 01325352724 or use or quote request from and a we will get in touch with you to discuss your requirements.

Why PATtest4U™ and SOHO IT™ Solutions?

We believe that we can offer you, the potential customer, an unrivalled service. We have the ability yo minimise disruption to your day to day operations whilst ensuring that you, and your staff, are working in the safest environment possible.

Does Portable Appliance Testing affect our insurance cover?

Insurance companies assume that when giving insurance cover to a business, the owners of that business are complying with all regulations necessary. An insurance company may reduce, delay or even refuse to pay on a claim for damage if an appliance that has not been tested has caused the damage.

What areas do you cover?

We current carry out Portable Appliance Testing across the whole of the North East of England, but concentrate on the A1M corridor from North Yorkshire to Newcastle, covering Northumberland (Blyth Valley, Wansbeck, Castle Morpeth, Tynedale, Alnwick and Berwick-upon-Tweed), Tyne and Wear (Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland), County Durham (City of Durham, Easington, Sedgefield, Teesdale, Wear Valley, Derwentside, Chester-le-Street, Darlington, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees), and North Yorkshire (Stockton-on-Tees, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland). We are based in on the outskirts of Darlington, County Durham.

How long will the Portable Appliance Testing take?

We can do between 10 and 15 electrical tests per hour, this is dependant on access and availability of the items.

Will the Portable Appliance Testing be disruptive?

During Portable Appliance Testing we try to minimise any disruption by only disconnecting items as we test them. We can work outside of business hours or at weekends if this helps.


17 August, 2007

Do you have more questions?

If you still have question about Portable Appliance Testing [PAT testing] please call us and one of our staff will be more than willing to assist you.


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