Scope of the New Code of Practice – What Exactly Should We Be Able to Test? Guidance Note 03/2020 Guidance Note for PATTA Members, Duty Holders and the Public What Exactly Should We Be Able to Test? We’ve been contacted by a few people recently with queries about what items you should check if you carry out PAT Testing. There are a lot of conflicting opinions around at the moment, and [...]
The new Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment – 5th Edition (2020). You might have heard that there is a new Code of Practice (CoP) from the IET – this is quite a big deal for people in the PAT Testing Industry, as it sets out standards and procedures that people will follow when carrying out their work. PATTA was very happy to be asked to [...]
The NEW 5th Edition of the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment The 5th Edition has been written by author, James Eade; the Portable Appliance Testing Trade Association has been involved directly in the writing of it. Having a representative for the industry on the panel at every meeting and discussion along the way has ensured that the new book has been written with the PAT tester in mind. [...]
A guide to staying safe at home, whilst at work So, most of us are now working from home while we adapt to the impact Covid-19 is having on our lives. We have new routines, or no routine and we're trying to work whilst the kids run riot and the dogs wants to be on our lap - we're all adjusting to new ways of working such as having our meetings on the [...]
Covid-19 (Corona Virus) Update from PATTA Without a doubt, we are living through unprecedented times, with much uncertainty in the business world. As you know, PATTA is the trade organisation for PAT Testing Companies in the UK and we represent the interests of all of our members and others in the PAT Testing Industry. If you have PAT Testing booked to be carried out in the next few weeks you may be thinking [...]
What is an RCD? An RCD, or residual current device, is a life-saving device which is designed to prevent you from getting a fatal electric shock if you come into contact with a live wire or current. RCDs offer a level of personal protection that ordinary fuses and circuit-breakers cannot provide. The majority of our leads have an option to add in an RCD, to provide this invaluable level of protection. How does it work? [...]
British plugs & sockets are amongst the safest in the world. This is because the British BS1363 standard has been around for decades, also due to laws like the Plugs & Sockets Act 1994. In fact, it is illegal in the UK to sell an electrical item with a plug that does not conform to BS1363.They should not have a CE mark on them. However, the law becomes a very grey area when it comes [...]
If you’re not already doing it, adding product recall to your business could help your USP and help your customers safety. Most people (and we’ve all done it) go out and buy that electrical appliance but take no notice of the “register my appliance” card in the box. Well it is there for a good reason and it’s not just trying to upsell you some extra insurance. Several PAT firms are registering not just the [...]
Nearly all Portable electrical items require a fuse for added protection in case of a fault. This fuse is designed to protect your device from harm should irregularities in current be detected. Fuse production is dictated by British Standard regulation BS1362 to ensure fuses are safe to use and are manufactured to full quality. But beware, there are counterfeit fuses which will cause more harm than good. These fake fuses could cause damage to [...]
British socket outlets are amongst the safest in the world if they are in good repair. Electrical sockets that are manufactured to BS1363 standards (including multi way adapters and flexible extensions) must prevent the insertion of foreign objects into the socket tubes by an interlocking shutter mechanism. The BS1363 standard also sets a distance which a plug pin must be inserted before coming into contact with live parts. [...]
