Should you run a business enterprise or let home you happen to be necessary by UK law to possess any transportable electrical devices tested for health and safety reasons. All those Computer, laptops, phones, tills photocopier, printers and also kettles and toasters must be tested to ensure that you're not putting your tenants or staff at risk.

So you understand that your equipment must be PAT tested and also you need to locate a company to carry out the function. Where do you commence? Effectively run a compact business and have experience of coping with a number of PAT testing corporations down the years. I've listed six query that I believe you should ask any company that you just ask to quote for the operate. Any fantastic PAT testing company will be capable to provide you using the answers to these inquiries.

Is definitely the Company Accredited?

You should ask any prospective PAT testing company if they have specialist accreditation. Though there's no PAT testing official physique you will find quite a few specialist associations that all companies should belong as well. These include things like, National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC), SAFEcontractor and also the Electrical Safety Council. In the event the company claims to be a member of those associations it is generally worth checking that their membership is up to date.

Are the engineers qualified?

PAT testing must be carried out by certified engineers. It truly is important which you verify that any engineers which might be sent for your premises have pasted the City & Guilds 2360 Part 1 & Part 2 and City & Guilds 2391, the recognized industry standards for Fixed Installation Testing. Any company that is employing unqualified engineers could be compromising the safety of you and your staff.

Do they do a full PAT test or are they just sticking labels without properly testing?

You'll need to make sure that the company is actually carrying out a full PAT tests on your gear and not just sticking labels on gear without carrying out the tests.
The test should really involve numerous steps and anything less than five to ten minutes per piece of equipment is as well short. So you ought to have a rough idea of how long it ought to take to carry out the tests and if a company quotes you significantly less time then this then the alarm bells really should start off ringing. The company must also have the ability to offer you with a database of all the test results in both a paper format and an electronic one. If they are unable to provide this for you then you should question if they are actually carrying out the tests.

Do they use the latest equipment and is it calibrated?

PAT testing gear is constantly being improved and also you should really ask the company how old their equipment is. The gear need to also be calibrated to ensure that it truly is giving the correct readings. All calibrated equipment ought to have a certificate to prove when it was last tested for and also when it is actually due to become retested.

Are they insured?

You ought to verify that the company has public liability insurance. The the perform they carry out on your equipment is vital and is also legally binding. If there's an issue caused by gear they've tested and passed then the legal blame and any expense would be the responsibility of the PAT testing company. If they do not have insurance then you have no redress and may not have the ability to recover any costs that have been incurred as a result of the fault.

Are there any hidden charges?

It is constantly worth checking and then double checking what is included in the price of the quote. Does it incorporate the cost of the labels, database burnt to CD and a print out of the test results?
Is definitely the work charged per piece of equipment, per hour or for the whole premises in one go?
Will there be any charges for the changing of fuses in plugs? Make sure than you get a fully costed quote in writing before you engage in a project.