SPECIAL FEATURE
TEST & MEASUREMENT
SPECIAL FEATURE
A COMMON SENSE APPROACH
Amy Lyons , applications engineer at Seaward , looks at how PAT technology has evolved to meet the needs of different users and is used for more general safety management applications .
There is a great deal of evidence that the periodic inspection and testing of portable electrical equipment saves lives and prevents fires that may otherwise have caused injuries , loss of life and serious damage to business premises and workplaces .
In this respect , the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989 , along with the HSE Memorandum of Guidance and successive IET Codes of Practice , have consistently provided sound advice based on industry experience and the electrical safety needs of the business community .
Although nowhere in the EAWR 1989 is there a specific requirement for the testing of electrical equipment , there is an onus on the dutyholder to ensure that equipment in the workplace is maintained so as to prevent danger . It is this requirement that has introduced the implied need for periodic inspection and testing ; without such actions , the inference is that the dutyholder will be unable to establish the potential dangers posed by faulty or unsafe equipment .
Planned and proactive safety measures must therefore be capable of detecting potential problems with appliances before they occur and this is the role of preventative maintenance programmes .
As a result , in the event of electrical accidents , property damage or personal injury occurring , portable appliance testing can demonstrate a responsible and diligent approach towards safety that may subsequently be required by the HSE , employers , insurance companies and other interested parties .
February 2017 | 39