Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is an essential part of any Health & Safety policy that is legally required to be undertaken. This page is only a quick overview of these legislations and should not be considered to be legally encompassing.
According to The Health & Safety Executive, 25% of all reportable electrical accidents involve portable appliances. Therefore there are several pieces of legislation that are specific to electrical maintenance:
Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 Also known as HAWAW or HSW, this is the primary piece of legislation covering Health and Safety in the workplace. It places a duty of care on employers and partially the employees to ensure the safety of all persons on site. (This includes those that are self employed)
The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 This legislation states that: "Every employer shall make suitable and sufficient assessment of: (a) the risks to the health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst at work, and (b) the risks to ensure the health and safety of persons not in his employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him or his undertaking."
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 Stating that: "All systems shall at all times be of such construction as to prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, such danger." "As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, such danger." "'System' means an electrical system in which all the electrical equipment is, or may be, electrically connected to a common source of electrical energy and includes such source and such equipment" And “‘Electrical Equipment' includes anything used, intended to be used or installed for use, to generate, provide, transmit, transform, rectify, convert, conduct, distribute, control, store, measure or use electrical energy."
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) "Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair." This legislation only applies to equipment that is used by persons on site and generally covers all dangers relating to these. However, it does not apply to fixed installations within the building. (These are covered in the Electricity at Work legislation)
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
Employers, employees and those that are self employed are all made legally responsible in The Electricity at Work Regulations to ensure that no danger arises from the use of electrical items, from the smallest piece of equipment (and in some cases battery operated) to the large built-in installations. The Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) places such an obligation in the following circumstances:
Where appliances are used by employees
Where the public may use appliances in establishments such as hospitals, schools, hotels, shops, offices etc
Where appliances are supplied or hired
Where appliances are repaired or serviced
“The level of inspection and testing required is dependant upon the risk of the appliance becoming faulty, which is in turn dependant upon the type of appliance, the nature of its use and the environment in which it is used.”
