PAT policy

1. Legal Requirements
Since the 1st April 1990 it has been a legal requirement for employers and the self employed to have all portable electrical appliances and equipment periodically inspected and tested for compliance with the safety regulations. This means that all portable appliances need to be subjected to electrical testing.

Current legislation demands that employers ensure portable appliances are safe. The predominant relevant regulations include:
ï‚· Health & Safety at Work Act, 1974
ï‚· Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989
ï‚· Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, 1998
ï‚· The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1999

Electricity at Work Regulations specifies that employers and the self-employed are liable for the correct use and maintenance of all portable appliances at their place of work. Employers in this context include those people accountable for the management of offices, factories, shops, hospitals, universities, hotels and all other building used by the public.

2. Portable Appliance Definition
A portable electrical appliance is defined as any electrical equipment that is powered between 40 and 240 volts and which is connected to the electrical mains via a flexible cable / plug and socket (usually a 13 amp outlet). It does not imply that the appliance is readily portable, only that it can be moved without unwiring. Portable electrical appliances owned by employees are occasionally brought to and used in the workplace.

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