Health and Safety Update – PAT Tests?

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Andy

Must you have a PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) certificate for electrical equipment on site?  Well this was a question that the myth busting team at the HSE recently addressed.  A site team were prevented from taking battery chargers for their 36V rechargeable tools onto site because they hadn’t undergone PAT.

The, HSE backed, myth busting panel stated that “Health & safety law does not require electrical items to be portable appliance tested (PAT). Regulations simply require that electrical equipment be maintained to prevent danger.”*  How you decide to achieve that seems to be down to each employer’s discretion – although PAT seems to be a useful framework.

Further Info:

HSE has guidance on Maintaining portable electrical equipment  it covers maintenance intervals, including for chargers. Maintenance is for the owner, but operators may have their own rules to help ensure safety across their site.

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* Source HSE Myths