If they believe the regulations are not being complied with inspectors are authorised to issue a prohibition notice with immediate effect. This would prevent any further work from taking place on the site. An improvement notice would be issued, and if the requirements of this were not complied with then the case would become the subject of a prosecution. Maximum penalties of fines up to £5000 and/or up to six months imprisonment are in the event of a successful prosecution under any Health & Safety statute.

The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 has allowed for penalties up to £20,000 fines since 1992 Offences heard by the Crown Courts have unlimited fines with a possible two year prison sentence.

The surest way to enable yourself to demonstrate that you are taking the regulations seriously, is have in place a record-keeping system which is properly maintained. This may be electronic or paper based, and should show a history of all PAT Testing activity.

Our CD is designed to enable people who have not received any formal training in electrical work, to carry out visual inspection and possibly electronic testing, of portable appliances, and assess the risk of danger to the user of that appliance. There are advantages if you are able to do this work in-house. It must be stressed however, that visual inspections, without dismantling will not capture every potential defect. This is why, in addition to regular visual inspections appliances MUST receive a full electronic test using a purpose designed PAT meter.

With the aid of our CD, and a locally rented or purchased P.A.T Test set, it should not be too difficult to arrange for a suitable member of existing staff to take on this work. This means of course, that the task may be carried out at a time that suits you, on an opportunity basis without the considerable disruption and expense that comes with an outside contractor.

Having said this, it should be borne in mind that, in general, over 85% of faults are discovered during the visual inspection stage. In the workplace it is a legal requirement that a system of preventative maintenance exists which is

“effective in preventing any appliance from becoming a danger to any person”.

Regulation 4(2) States:

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

To this end the person or persons using the appliance should be able, with suitable training, to recognise visual signs that any appliance is not in sound condition. Types of equipment covered includes

Portable Appliances: An appliance which is intended to be moved while in operation or an appliance which can easily be moved from one place to another while connected to the supply, e.g. toaster, food mixer, vacuum cleaner.

Transportable Equipment: This is equipment which is either: 18kg or less in mass and not fixed, e.g. Electric heater, or Equipment with wheels, casters or other means to facilitate movement by the operator as required to perform its intended use.

Hand-held Appliances or Equipment: This is portable equipment intended to be held in the hand during normal use, e.g. hair dryer, drill, soldering iron, kettles.

Secondary equipment or appliances: This equipment has a mass exceeding 18kg and is not provided with a carrying handle, e.g. refrigerator, washing machine.

Extension Leads: These should use three core cable even if used to feed a class 2 appliance. Extension Leads should be tested as for class 1 appliances but should additionally include a polarity check.

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