Why electrical PAT tests are important for fire safety

What is the electrical PAT test?
The electrical PAT test means portable device test. It is the examination of electrical appliances and equipment to ensure that they are safe to use. This implies a visual inspection of the equipment, cables and plugs to ensure that they are in good condition, verify the continuity of the ground connection and test the soundness of the insulation between the parts that carry current. All this is combined to make the devices used within a company safe to use.
The Electricity at Work Regulation of 1989 requires that all electrical equipment, which has the potential to cause injury, be kept in a "safe condition". However, the Regulation does not specify exactly what must be done to satisfy this requirement, how often or by whom. Therefore, it is up to business owners and operators to satisfy the requirement as best they can. This is where the formal PAT inspection comes in. It is not required by law, but it is a good way to comply with current regulations.
Why PAT is important for fire safety
In 2014-15 in England, more than 12% of domestic fires were caused by appliances. However, it could be said that most companies contain more electronic products, which are often used more regularly and vigorously.

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The PAT inspection ensures that all "portable" electronic devices of the company are safe for use. "Portable," in this respect, is a bit misleading, but is generally considered as anything that connects to an outlet. PAT guarantees that these portable devices are safe for use by the company. Ensures that there is little chance of accidental injury due to electronics failures, which reduces the risk to the user and other commercial personnel. It also guarantees that there is less risk of more substantial damage to electrical equipment, which may involve repair or replacement costs and commercial downtime. Finally, it ensures that there is little chance of an electric fire starting due to faulty or overloaded equipment.
Don't let PAT tests make your employees complacent
The fact that the devices have been verified and certified does not mean that absolutely nothing can go wrong with your electrical equipment. Plugs can still overload and defective equipment can overheat. The plugs can still overload and defective equipment can overheat
If a laptop "in the office" that never leaves the desk is transformed into a travel laptop that moves a lot, the charger and the device will need a more frequent visual inspection and PAT to take into account the most rigorous wear.
Do not allow employees to become complacent and take for granted the safety of their devices. Make sure employees are properly educated about the proper safety of portable devices and teach them to recognize the first warning signs of a dangerous cable, a defective port or a defective plug. When it comes to personnel safety and fire safety, an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure.
However, if you follow the (usually annual) schedule of when PAT should be performed again under normal conditions of use, you can operate with much more peace of mind.

PAT inspections and tests are only a small part of the broader fire safety procedures that your company should implement. The regularity of PAT should be clearly described in your Fire Risk Assessment and should be part of the regular safety tasks of your business along with fire alarm tests and drills, visual electronic inspection, testing and maintenance of fire extinguishers, etc. home