Vps Info Booklet 24pp Pdf

Portable Appliance Testing V P S

Vector Pat Services Portable Appliance Testing Specialists 07712 872 133 [email protected] www.vectorpatservices.co.uk 1

Index of Contents Introduction What is a Portable Appliance? Portable Appliance Testing New Equipment Legislation Responsibilities Duty Holder Employer Administrator Employees The Need to Inspect and Test Methods of Inspection and Testing User Checks Formal Visual Inspection Combined Inspection and Test Electrical Tests Frequency of Inspection and Testing The Environment The users Equipment Suitability The Equipment Documentation Label Examples Djs and Musicians Test Equipment

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Portable Appliance Testing This booklet is intended as a short information guide to the legal and technical requirements of Portable Appliance In Service Inspection and Testing. It is particularly aimed at the person new to this aspect of health and safety legislation as well as those who are familiar with the legislation but need to know a little more. A deliberate effort has been made not to turn it into a dry text book on PAT testing, of which there are many. We hope you will find the contents interesting and helpful. If you have any queries or would like more information, we would be only too happy to talk to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us at

Vector Pat Services Portable Appliance Testing Specialists 07712 872 133 [email protected] www.vectorpatservices.co.uk Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, please be aware that regulations and legislation regarding health and Safety can and do change regularly. Bob Henderson. April 2009 3

Introduction Portable Appliance Testing is a vital part of any Health and Safety Policy. Setting up the necessary systems and procedures to comply with all the relevant legislation can seem a daunting prospect. It is in fact a lot simpler than it first seems. Vector Pat services can guide you through this process from first inspection, through any workplace training you require, to ensuring you have the required documentation in place and regularly updated so you comply with the regulations. If you already have in place a system of inspection and testing we will smoothly integrate with that system working with you to ensure the safety of your employees and customers. The following short guide briefly explains the various parts of the legislation, your responsibilities as an employer and the methods that can be used to maintain your portable electrical equipment in a safe condition. As you will see, most of the procedures are simple, common sense measures. When it comes to electrical tests and interpretation of the test results, you can relax and leave all that to us.

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What is a Portable Appliance? The IEE Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (3rd edition) states: ‘Other than the fixed installation, all electrical equipment in an installation, whether permanently connected or connected by a plug and socket-outlet, should be inspected and tested in accordance with the recommendations contained in this code of practice.’ A portable appliance may generally, but not exclusively, be thought of as any electrically powered piece of equipment that has a lead and a plug. This includes items such as: kettles, microwaves, fans, photocopiers, computers, VDUs, refrigerators, luminaires (lamps), equipment power adaptors, multi way extension leads, extension reels, detachable power supply cables, power tools, compressors, heaters, etc. This also includes 400v 3 phase equipment that is ‘hard wired’ or plugged in and transformer fed 110v equipment commonly found in workshops and industrial locations. Some items of 230v equipment may be ‘hard wired’ into the installation as well. Such as hand driers, bathroom heaters, wall heaters etc. These should also, wherever possible, be tested. This is where the common misconception of ‘anything with a plugtop on the end of it’ falls down. There is far more to defining a portable appliance than that. As you can see, it doesn’t even need to be all that portable. We carry all of the necessary adaptors and instruments to perform inspections and tests on all of these items. It may be worth mentioning here that the tests we carry out do not include the electrical installation itself. This is a separate and quite different testing process. 5

Each item of equipment falls into one of several categories defined in the IEE Code of Practice: Portable equipment/appliances : a portable appliance is an appliance of not more than 18kg in mass that is intended to be moved while in operation or an appliance that can easily be moved from one place to another. e.g. Toaster, Food mixer, Kettle. Hand held equipment/appliances : A hand held appliance or equipment is portable equipment intended to be held in the hand during normal use. e.g. Angle Grinder, Power Drill, Iron, Hair drier. Moveable equipment/appliances : An item of moveable equipment is either 18kg or less in mass and not fixed, e.g. an electric compressor or equipment with wheels, castors or other means to facilitate movement by the operator as required to perform it’s intended use. e.g. Air Conditioning Unit. Stationary equipment/appliances : An item of stationary equipment or a stationary appliance is equipment that has a mass exceeding 18kg and is not provided with a carrying handle. e.g. Refrigerator, Washing Machine, Dishwasher. Fixed equipment/appliances : An item of fixed equipment or a fixed appliance is equipment that is fastened to a support or otherwise secured in a specified location. e.g. Hand Drier, Electric Towel Rail, Luminaire. Built-in equipment/appliances : An appliance or equipment for building in is equipment intending to be installed in a prepared recess such as a cupboard or similar. In general, equipment for building in does not have an enclosure on all sides. e.g. Built in Cooker, Refrigerator, Dishwasher. Information technology equipment : Information Technology (IT) equipment includes electrical business equipment such as computer and mains powered telecommunications equipment, and other equipment for general business use, such as mail processing machines, electric plotters, trimmers, VDUs, data terminal equipment, typewriters, telephones, printers, photocopiers and power packs. Extension leads : An extension lead is necessary where an

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item of equipment needs to be supplied but a convenient socket is not available. An RCD extension lead is an extension lead that includes an RCD. (Residual Current Detector) Multiway adaptors and RCD Adaptors : Multiway adaptors and cube adaptors are used when there are not sufficient sockets available. RCD adaptors are used to provide protection for persons using portable equipment, particularly for persons using portable equipment outdoors.

Most people, following their first inspection and test visit are surprised at the amount of items they have that require testing. In practice it is this first visit where most of the problems are encountered. This makes sense if you consider that you are embarking on an ongoing procedure of maintenance so the next inspection would be likely to find fewer faults. These regular inspections combined with regular user checks will ensure that your equipment is maintained in efficient working order and good repair. While carrying out the test and inspection, we frequently identify various types of fault which we can rectify simply by re-wiring or replacing a plug, repairing a cable or changing a fuse. These repairs, (termed minor repairs) are usually carried out free of charge and are done automatically. If we find an item of equipment that requires a more involved repair we will discuss this with you at the time so a decision can be taken as to how to proceed. In most cases we can repair the item onsite or in our workshop or you may need to send the equipment back to the manufacturer. There will inevitably be occasions where the item needs to be disposed of and replaced. Where possible, we will try to assist you to minimise the use of multiway adaptor strips and extension cables. The process of Inspection and testing requires that each item to be tested is unplugged. The result is that we have become experts at re-routing cables to minimise the spaghetti effect! 7

Portable Appliance Testing P.A.T. or Portable Appliance Testing is concerned with making sure that the equipment provided by an employer and used by employees and members of the public is maintained in a safe state and does not deteriorate to such an extent that people may be harmed. The Health and Safety Executive figures show that more than 2000 fires are caused by faulty electrical appliances every year. In addition to this, around 1000 accidents at work involving electricity are reported every year. Out of these, 25 people die as a result of their injuries. Electricity is an ‘INVISIBLE KILLER’. You can’t see it, you can’t smell it, you can’t hear it. It has become such an essential everyday commodity that we have perhaps become over familiar with it. We take it for granted and subsequently underestimate how hazardous it can be. When a fault occurs, electrical current will always take the easiest route to earth. If that happens to be through you then that’s the path it will take. The table below shows the effect that different values of current can have on the human body. Current Effect 1 mA Barely Perceptible 1-3 mA Perceptible in most people 3-9 mA Painful Sensation 9-25 mA Muscular Contractions (Can’t let go) 25-60 mA Respiratory Paralysis (Possibly fatal) 60 mA or more Ventricular Fibrillation (Probably fatal) 4 A or more Heart Paralysis (Fatal) 5 A or more Tissue Burning (Fatal if vital organ) 1 mA (milli amp) is one thousandth of one amp

From this table it can be seen that a comparatively small current can have a devastating effect on the human body. Electrical accidents are largely preventable. With the correct procedures in place, they need never happen at all. 8

While carrying out inspections and tests we regularly find examples of faulty plugs, leads and equipment that are blatantly unsafe and have obviously been unsafe for some time, yet the user or operator thinks that it’s ok to use because... ‘it still works and anyway it’s been like that for ages!’ Regular Inspection and Testing Can and Does Save Lives.

Does New Equipment Need Testing? It can generally be assumed that new equipment is safe if used for the purpose for which it was designed and manufactured. Manufacturers have to comply with many rules and regulations concerning the production process. We would recommend that If an item is brought into service from new, it should immediately be subject to whatever system of user checks and formal inspection (without test) that is in place. The item should then be included in the next Inspection and test that is carried out and tested regularly from then on. It is worth mentioning here that it is possible to purchase mains extension reels and cables from reputable stores that, while perfectly suitable for domestic use are wholly out of place in the workplace and in fact will often fail an inspection and test. In general, any 13A mains extension or reel over 12m in length must only be used through an RCD with a trip current value of 30ma. Also, the type of cable that is quite adequate for cutting the grass at home on a Sunday afternoon is not at all suitable for getting kicked around, stood on and driven over in a workshop environment and indeed will very quickly become unsafe if used in this way.

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Legislation There are numerous pieces of legislation in force designed to ensure that equipment remains safe. The three most relevant are summarised below. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 places a duty of care on employers to ensure the safety of employees and other persons in the workplace. This duty of care is also extended to include others who are not employed but are 'affected by the work activity'. this may include, Shop customers, visitors to your premises, School or College pupils, people attending a concert or other entertainment. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 state: (Regulation 4(1)) 'Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided' (Regulation 5(1)) 'Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair' The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 state: (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'. The EAWR regulations do not specifically state a requirement to carry out inspection and testing. However, the regulations do imply a clear legal requirement to ensure that all equipment is, and remains, in a safe condition. Failure to ensure this would be a criminal offence.

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Insurance policies can also be affected. Most insurance companies will ask for evidence of inspection and testing procedures before insuring you and certainly will if you are unfortunate enough to have a claim relating to a piece of electrical equipment. Without the right documentation you may find yourself uninsured and liable for serious risk. With this in mind, it follows on that the only way to ensure your equipment is safe, and to be able to demonstrate it to a third party when required, is to have the equipment inspected, tested and a certificate issued on a regular basis.

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Responsibilities Duty Holder A Duty Holder is anyone (employer, employee, selfemployed person etc.) who has 'control' of an electrical system. Control in this sense means designing, installing, working with or maintaining such systems. Duty holders have a legal responsibility to ensure their own safety and the safety of others whilst in control of an electrical system. Employer’s responsibility The legislation places the responsibility for maintenance firmly on the employer. This responsibility cannot be delegated. However, although the responsibility remains with the employer, the task of carrying out the work can be delegated to an employee. Administrator It is normal for the manager of the establishment or someone appointed by the management to be the ‘administrator’ for the portable appliances. The term ‘administrator’ has a specific meaning within the framework of the legislation. The administrator has a responsibility to make sure that maintenance and testing are kept up to date and that the staff using the equipment are properly trained in it’s use and able to carry out basic user checks on the equipment. This responsibility cannot be delegated. The administrator is not expected to carry out the inspection and testing but must oversee the work and ensure that those persons carrying out the work are competent to do so. The administrator will be a responsible person to whom staff and outside contractors should report the results of any inspection and test including defects. The administrator must be trained and competent both in the management of the appliance testing process and have an understanding of the relevant legislation. 12

Employees Employees also have a legal responsibility under the legislation to assist the employer. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 state: (Regulation 3) ‘It shall be the duty of every employee while at work: To co-operate with his employer as is necessary to enable any duty placed on that employer by the provision of these regulations to be complied with; and to comply with the provisions of these regulations in so far as they relate to matters which are within his control’ This means that every employee who uses any item of electrical equipment is responsible for carrying out a brief user check prior to switching it on and immediately reporting any defect found.

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The Need to Inspect and Test Although the legislation does not specifically mention it, it can be seen that some method of testing and inspection will be required to comply with the statutory maintenance requirement. Testing and inspection on it’s own however, will not be enough to satisfy the requirements of the legislation. The equipment must be maintained in a safe condition throughout it’s working life. Therefore a system of repair and maintenance or possibly replacement of faulty equipment will have to be put in place.

Methods of Inspection and Testing Inspection is vital and must precede testing. It may reveal serious defects which may not be detected by testing alone. There are three types of inspection required. User Checks The employee prior to using an item of equipment should be able to carry out a set routine of basic visual checks. Some instruction or training can be carried out to ensure the employee is comfortable with these checks. The training, which must be carried out by a competent person, need only be of short duration since most of the checks are basic common sense. The user checks are not recorded unless a fault is found. Formal Visual Inspection This consists of a scheduled, detailed visual inspection, the results of which are recorded. This inspection must be carried out by a competent person who can be a designated member of staff trained to carry out the checks or a trained test engineer brought in to do an interim check. It is a fact that 80% of problems found are at this stage of the inspection. 14

Combined Inspection and test This is where the appliance is subjected to a formal visual inspection followed by a series of electrical tests. (Portable Appliance Testing) These include testing of the integrity of the earth bonding in the equipment and insulation checks among others. In the case of microwave ovens we also offer an emissions test. The results of these tests are always recorded, the appliance clearly labeled and a certificate issued.

Electrical Tests The electrical tests carried out vary depending on the type of equipment. However, they are broadly divided into two separate tests. The first test checks the quality of the connection to earth or ‘Earth Bonding’ as it is known. In many appliances this connection to earth is critical in the event of a fault occurring. There are various different methods of earth protection. Therefore the test applied varies depending on the equipment under test. We like to see this resistance measurement as low as possible. The second test checks the quality of the insulation in the appliance and the wiring to it. Deterioration of insulation is one of the most common causes of electrical failure in equipment. Insulation is subjected to many stresses; such as physical damage, vibration, heat or cold, excess moisture or dampness and dirt or oil contamination. Consider the life of a power tool carried around in a builder’s van for instance. In addition to these stresses, as an appliance ages, pin holes or cracks appear in the insulation which, over time, can provide a low resistance path for leakage current. The readings we take on successive tests enable us to see the trends leading to this deterioration so that faults can be found and corrected before the item breaks down or becomes hazardous. This resistance measurement should ideally be as high as possible.

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Frequency of Inspection and Testing Deciding on the frequency of Inspection and Testing is a matter of judgement based on an assessment of risk. This may range from construction equipment being tested every three months to certain equipment in benign environments requiring no testing at all. The factors to take into consideration when assessing the level of risk for a particular item include: The environment: Equipment in a benign environment such as an office will suffer less damage than equipment in a more arduous environment such as a building site or workshop. The users: If the users of the equipment carry out proper user checks and report any damage as it becomes evident, problems will not be allowed to escalate. If this is not the case then more frequent formal inspection and testing may be necessary. Equipment suitability: If the equipment is being used in the manner and for the purpose it was designed then it will suffer less degradation than if it is being subjected to use beyond it’s construction and design. No amount of inspection and maintenance will make up for an item that is not fit for purpose. The equipment type: Hand held equipment is very likely to suffer more damage than any other type. Consequently it may require more frequent inspection and testing than for instance, a computer sitting in the same place on a desk all year. Our experience tells us that cables, supply cords as well as extensions tend to suffer abuse. Especially in workshop and industrial environments. In short, there are no rigid guidelines laid down. However, in 16

our experience and for the sake of a properly planned maintenance schedule, you may find it convenient to think in terms of having the inspection and testing done annually. After the initial inspection when every item will be tested, we may recommend more frequent checks on certain items if we find they are being subjected to arduous use and are likely to deteriorate faster than other items which may have an easier life. By setting in place a proper system of regular user checks and formal inspection in house (without testing) you will save in the long term. If your employees are properly trained to carry out these simple visual checks, the Inspection and test regime can often be reduced. If an item of equipment is found to have a recurring high rate of damage or consistent deterioration, action should be taken to rectify this. Consideration should be given to replacing the item with a more suitable type, training for the operators of the equipment or increasing the frequency of inspection and testing The intervals between Inspection and Testing should be continually reviewed. Particularly initially, until patterns of usage are determined. We will advise you on this aspect as testing progresses. After the initial Inspection and test, we will contact you prior to the next due date to arrange a mutually convenient time to re-test.

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Documentation The HSE Memorandum of Guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations advises that records of maintenance including tests should be kept throughout the working life of the equipment. These records form a useful management tool for assessing the frequency of inspection and testing and also allow the duty holders in an organisation to demonstrate that inspection and testing have been carried out. The following records should be kept: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

A register of all equipment (new equipment to be added to the list as it is put into service.) A record of formal visual checks and combined inspection and tests. A repair register. Can be combined A faulty equipment register. All equipment formally inspected and tested should be labeled accordingly.

These records may be paper or digitally based. Records of previous test results should be made available to subsequent test operatives. We at Vector Pat Services will prepare a copy of the Formal Inspection and test results and a register of all equipment tested. A certificate of test and a schedule of equipment tested will be supplied to the administrator. This schedule will correspond with any existing system you have in place so items can easily be identified and cross checked. If there is no existing system we will number each item and label accordingly. We can also offer a bespoke in-house design and print service for all your documentation requirements. Forms, Books etc. 18

FAIL ELECTRICAL SAFETY TEST

mW/cm

2

Appliance ID:

TESTED Emission Level:

PASS

RADIO FREQUENCY EMISSION CHECK

Pass Date:

PASS

DO NOT USE

This appliance has failed a safety Check and is unsafe to use

Next Due:

V.P.S. 07712 872 133

Test Engineer:

V.P.S. 07712 872 133

Next Due:

Fail Date:

ELECTRICAL SAFETY TEST

Pass Date:

Appliance ID:

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Appliance ID:

Interlock Checked: Test Date:

By:

Retest Due:

DO NOT REMOVE ELECTRICAL SAFETY TEST

EQUIPMENT/ APPLIANCE I.D.

Vector Pat Services 07712 872 133

PASS

This microwave oven has passed a radiation leakage test and is safe to use

DO NOT REMOVE THIS LABEL These are examples of the type of labels we use. They are durable and allow each item to be easily identified on an ongoing basis. The appliance ID will be linked to your register of equipment if you have one. If you are setting up a system of inspection and test for the first time you can rely on VPS to assist you in whatever way we can to ensure that you stay safe and legal. 19

DJs and Musicians Few items of electrical equipment have a tougher working life than sound and lighting equipment. The routine of setting up against the clock then stripping down and loading after a gig when you’re tired and just want to get back home takes it’s toll on your gear. An increasing number of venues will now insist on seeing your up to date liability insurance and your Portable Appliance Test Certificates before they will let you through the door. Testing modern amplifiers, midi equipment, mixers etc. is not like testing a refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner. Sound equipment is expensive and is sometimes very sensitive to the levels of current and voltage that are commonly used to test other types of equipment. At VPS, we have many years of experience in the professional music field and know exactly how to treat your valuable equipment and how to ensure it stays safe. The other side of the coin is ensuring that the supply you are plugging into is safe. Two simple things will make sure it is. The first is to carry around a socket tester. These are simple and cheap to buy. You plug the tester into the supply and observe the lights on the front. Most will give you three lights if it is safe and some give an audible indication as well. The second thing is to always run your equipment through a 30mA RCD. (Residual Current Detector) These can save your life in the event of a fault occurring. A guitar player touching a microphone under certain fault conditions will receive a current directly across his chest. If this current remains un-interrupted, it is likely to cause ventricular fibrillation at levels as low as 60mA (see table on page 8) and can result in death. An RCD will interrupt the current in a very short time and prevent serious injury. 20

Test Equipment At VPS we don’t just plug it in, test it and bung a sticker on it! We apply the correct test for the equipment at hand. We don’t speed test to a target per day either. Some items take a minute, others can take up to half an hour. This thorough approach requires a range of test equipment, not just one simple pat tester. All of the equipment we use is selected specifically for it’s ability to give accurate, reliable and consistent readings. This is so that, over consecutive tests, we can monitor trends which show deterioration. This allows us to identify problems before they become hazards. To achieve this, the test equipment itself needs to be tested. We have our test instruments regularly calibrated to the highest standards and we are quite happy to show you the test certificates. Some of the equipment we use is listed below. Megger Pat 32 Portable Appliance Tester Martindale HPat600 Portable Appliance Tester CEM DT 5505 Insulation Tester Lem Heme LH240 AC/DC Clamp Meter Fluke T50 Voltage / Continuity Tester CEM DT-2G Radio Frequency Emissions Detector Laser Digital Thermometer We also carry a wide variety of adaptors, testers, plugs and cables to allow us to test just about anything we come across. We are also able to supply from stock, 4 gang extension leads, socket testers, 30mA RCDs, Fuses, 13A and 110v plugs and replacement cable. Available to order items include extension reels and cables (230V and 110V), In-line RCDs, site transformers, 110v lighting rigs, generators, plugs, sockets etc. 21

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Vector Pat Services Portable Appliance Testing Specialists 07712 872 133 [email protected] www.vectorpatservices.co.uk

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