Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 Regulations

Electricity at work regulations 1989 Regulation 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.'

Pat Testing Programmes

Businesses who care for the safety of their staff will typically implement a Pat Testing programme.

This Pat Testing programme will involve the planned inspection and testing of portable appliances to meet the standards mentioned above.

Health and Safety At Work Act 1974

It is stated within the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 that all employers have a legal duty to provide safe plant and office equipment.

Ensuring that all electrical equipment used in the workplace is fully maintained is a must, and for that reason these compliance checks are in place.

If you run a business, the safety of your employees is largely in your control.

You as the employer have the duty to prevent any harm coming to either party.

Pat Testing Legal Standards

Portable appliance testing, or PAT testing, is a major contributor to ensuring safety at all times, and will enable your business to comply with the legal standards.

Failure to implement a programme of regular appliance testing can lead to serious consequences, as well as affecting insurance policies.

Insurance Companies

Most insurance companies will assume that the owners of a business are compliant with all relevant regulations.

These insurers are fully entitled to reduce, delay or even refuse to pay on a claim for damage caused by a portable appliance that has not been PAT tested.

What happens if you don't Pat Test?

Recently, an employee sustained a 240 volt electric shock that broke both shoulders whilst attempting to test a newly manufactured appliance that had been incorrectly wired to the mains lead.

Suitable precautions had not been taken to prevent electrical injury to employees engaged in testing work on electrical appliances. Employees were exposed to live wires at 240 Volts ac, there was exposed metal in the test area, there was no PAT test of mains lead prior to live test and no risk assessment for electrical testing work.

The employers were prosecuted under The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (No 14), The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 (No 3) paragraph 1 and received a fine.