Other Services

Portable Appliance Testing

image of other documents Portable Appliance Testing (also referred to as the 'Inspection and Testing of In-Service Electrical equipment') was introduced to enable companies and organisations to comply with the Electricity at Work (EAW) Regulations 1989.

Over 2,500 people are killed or injured as a result of electrical fires each year. Poor electrical installations and faulty electrical appliances can lead to fires which may also cause death or injury to others therefore PAT Testing or Portable Appliance Testing is an important part of any health & safety policy.

Why Carry Out PAT Testing?

The purpose of the EAW Regulations is to prevent death or personal injury to any person from electrical causes and, as such, there are three main requirements stated as:

"To prevent danger", which is defined as the 'risk of injury'
"To prevent injury", which is defined in terms of certain classes of potential harm to persons
"Not to give rise to danger"

The requirements of the Regulations require that: "so far as is reasonably practicable, systems and equipment shall at all times be of such construction so as to prevent danger" and "so far as is reasonably practical, all systems and equipment shall be maintained so as to prevent danger".

The Regulations qualify these as: 'absolute' - precautions must be taken regardless of time, cost or difficulty to remove the element of risk; 'reasonably practical' - precautions must be taken which are feasible in terms of time, capabilities and economics; and 'reasonably foreseeable' precautions must be taken against circumstances, situations and usage in which it would be reasonable to expect hazards and risk.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 puts the duty of care upon "duty holders" which apply to both the employer and the employee to ensure the safety of all persons using the premises. Provisions & Use Of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 states that every employer shall ensure that "the result of an inspection made under this regulation is recorded and kept until the next inspection under these regulations is recorded." The combination of these regulations apply to all electrical equipment used in, or associated with, places of work.

The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) Code of Practice gives guidance on the various equipment types, which includes portable appliance, transportable equipment (moveable), hand held equipment, stationary equipment or IT equipment.

Electrical testing of portable equipment will involve earth bond continuity tests, insulation resistance testing and functional checks and different types of equipment are put into 'classes':- e.g. Class 1

Benefits of the Service

East Kent Electrical will prepare a programme of Portable Appliance Testing to meet the recommended guidelines for frequency of testing as issued by the IEE and the HSE.

We will provide fully trained PAT Testing Engineers who are friendly and well presented, offering minimal disruption to the day to day running of your organisation during testing. On completion of testing we will submit a full report and detailed asset list with results. ( these can be emailed or supplied on CD to keep paper storage down. )

Night Storage Heaters

Night storage heaters consist of a highly insulated case with dense bricks & heating elements inside. Cheaper off-peak (Economy 7) electricity is used to heat the bricks at night & then give out heat during the day.

These heaters are easy to install & need virtually no maintenance & give a long & reliable service with no mess or fumes.

We provide all sizes & types of electric storage heaters from various manufacturers including Dimplex, Creda & Heatstore. We have comprehensive catalogues to assist choice of design.

Showers & Immersion Heaters

We supply & install a range of new showers including the plumbing. We also repair and replace existing shower units & renew immersion heater elements & thermostats.

We can supply shower units in sizes from 7kw - 10.8kw from various manufacturers including Hotpoint, Mira & Triton.

Accreditations

Under the "Domestic Installer Scheme" showers must be installed by competent persons & comply with BS7671 & Part P of the Building Regulations. We will carry out the installation, testing & Local Building Control notification as required by law.

Showers & Immersion Heaters

The size of the shower to be installed depends on the size of the electricity supply to the property. We can replace the existing cable & the protective device if a larger replacement shower is required.

Generally a higher wattage shower will give a greater hot water flow.

Instantaneous Showers require a cold water feed with good mains pressure but there are versions with integral pumps for tank fed supplies.

Power inputs range from 7kw - 10.8kw and heat the water as it flows over the element.

Power Showers require a hot & cold feed from the tank & cylinder. They have either a built-in or separate pump. There is no heating element so they require only a small electricity supply.