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HSE have launched a three month consultation on its plans to recover costs from intervention by HSE. HSE have already agreed with the Government this year that they can impose fees on companies who have broken Health and Safety laws. The proposal is that HSE will charge £133.00 per hour for its time. Also, any further specialist support will be...

When PAT testing a kettle, it is important to perform the following tests; a visual, earth bond, insulation at 500 volts DC and a leakage test. Most modern kettles are jug type kettles, however you may come across older models with a detachable power cord. When testing a jug type kettle, the base and kettle should be tested as one...

We are often asked what the difference is between the legal duty of ‘absolute’ and ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’. In the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, there are certain duties imposed on employers, the self employed and employees in order to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to prevent the risk of death or injury from electricity. Often...

When PAT testing appliances it can be confusing, and sometimes difficult to remember, everything you learnt on you PAT testing course once you are starting out in your career. We often get asked about earth leakage and touch current testing and the difference between the two. Earth Leakage An earth leakage test for class I appliances is carried out in...

The huge number of failures and observations on this small number of tested industry items is a worrying result and suggests that the standards written to support the UK electrical equipment safety regulations have either been misunderstood or not followed correctly. The issues discovered concerning the internal construction of appliances is a big concern and this is especially worrying when...

Following on from last week’s Health and Beauty under the Spotlight Part 1, Part 2 focuses on the specific results gathered from the tested devices. The products in the test sample ranged from basic to high end. All samples were tested under the following regulations; EN60335 series of standards Plugs were assessed under UK standard BS1363-1 Hair Clippers The two...

The electrical safety council recently put Health and Beauty appliances to the test. Over the next two weeks we are going to examine this testing and the surprising results they found. This week we are going to start by looking at what they examined and any problems discovered. After the analysis of the EU injury database, the ESC discovered that...

Whilst using a pressure washer appliance, a worker suffered a 240 volt electric shock. After an investigation was carried out, it was found that the company responsible had not maintained the appliance as they legally should have done, they had not provided a safe system of work and had not informed the HSE of the existence of the factory. The...

Portable appliance testing is carried out in order to prevent and reduce the risk of fire and electric shock. It works by detecting any potential safety problems with electrical appliances before they have a chance to become dangerous to the user. The use of a PAT tester also allows employers to fulfil their legal obligation to ensure that the work...

Insurance is often something that people find confusing. It can be difficult when you’re just starting out to know all the aspects of becoming a PAT tester. The difficulty arises when all the many things that need considering take over so that insurance becomes last on the list. After completing your course and putting into practice all the skills you...