PAT Testing

Pat testing is an abbreviation given to the in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment, The inspection and testing of electrical appliances can be broken down into three separate categories

• User Checks - These are visual checks that any employee should carry out before the use of any electrical appliance, a record of any faults that are found should be submitted to the companies responsible person.
• Formal Visual Inspection - These inspections are carried out by trained technicians and the results of each inspection are to be formally recorded.
• Combined Inspection & Testing - These inspections and tests are carried out by trained technicians, the results of both each inspection and test are to be officially recorded, the data is then to be cross referenced to the previous test results to ensure all electrical equipment is safe to be in continued use until the next test.

There are three main classes of devices, Class 1, Class 2 & Class 3

• Class 1 equipment relies for its safety upon a satisfactory means of earthing for the fixed installation and an adequate connection to it normally via the flexible cable and a plug top.
• Class 2 equipment relies on basic and an addition layer of insulation (doubly insulated) to protect the user from any of the conductive parts.
• Class 3 equipment relies on a separated extra low voltage source to protect the user from electrocution.