Owain wrote:

Andy Wade wrote:
Owain wrote:
There is no *requirement* for PATing full stop under H&SAWA (AFAIK)
It's in the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989:

Which IIRC are delegated legislation under H&SAWA

4(2) As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be
maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, such
danger.

Yup, I still don't see the magic words "Portable Appliance Testing with
a PAT Meter"...

Owain

Quite right. The conclusion at my course was that PAT testing is not
required specifically under any legislation, but no-one can really think of
a better way of satisfying "due care" etc. any other way, in the general
case.

In other words, PAT testing is not required verbatim but it's still the best
way currently to meet the safety requirements. At my previous job we did
catch the odd (1 in several thousand) pre-moulded IEC leads where the earth
was not up to scratch, when it was a brand new lead - which is why our
stuff was tested from new. The other reason it was tested on the way in was
to get it on the books, thus knowing when the next due test was.

That is over the top for many sites, but for us it was a suitable procedure
that worked. PAT testing and visual inspections should be applied sensibly
according to the site and conditions - that was drummed into us on the
course. In my view, for a small site, there's more to be said for training
the other staff to visually inspect their own kit on a frequent basis with
reasonable frequencies of formal inspections. Where that is not reliable
(too many staff, staff have cat-like attitudes etc), then it's more
sensible to bring in a stronger by-the-book frequent regime of formal
inspections and testing.

Cheers

Tim