PATTA News Updates

Event: “Beyond the Code of Practice” with Jim Wallace

Beyond the Code of Practice PATTA is having an afternoon event on Friday 20th May, when our guest speaker, Jim Wallace will be talking to us about “Beyond the Code of Practice”. This is a face to face event; come and listen / speak to independent Standards Specialist Mr Jim Wallace, formerly of Seaward Electronics talk about "Beyond the Code of Practice", with an opportunity to also network with other PAT testers. Tim James (PAT Testing Expert) and Jim Wallace will be having a live discussion, to explain how the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and [...]

Richard Ayre2022-04-06T19:15:58+00:00March 31st, 2022|Events|Comments Off

Goodbye, our friend, Andrew

It is with great sadness that we have to post this news update, but we have lost one of our own, our good friend and colleague; Andrew Mitchell. Andrew sadly passed away on Sunday 9th January 2022 after battling with a long term illness. Andrew was a major part in the founding of PATTA and quickly became a key member to help form our working standards back in 2018. Andrew has been a huge influence as part of our steering group, and will be a massive miss. Andrew's professionalism and experience in his trade became valuable to engineers [...]

Richard Ayre2022-01-27T12:21:59+00:00January 27th, 2022|PATTA Info and News|Comments Off

PAT testers should be replacing non-sleeved plugs

Replace non sleeved plugs Whilst it's not the 'law' the Portable Appliance Testing Trade Association recommends replacing non-sleeved plugs for sleeved ones. Non-sleeved plugs have not been manufactured in the UK since 1984, and they don't meet the standard for safety - not having sleeves on the earth and insulation pins means a user could come into contact with the electricity supply when plugging in or unplugging a device, so these plugs don't meet safety standards. As the purpose of the PAT test is to make sure a plug is safe [...]

Richard Ayre2021-10-06T09:32:01+00:00October 6th, 2021|Guidance|Comments Off

How much should I expect to pay for PAT testing?

PAT testing is a process carried out to check electrical equipment fitted with a plug is safe to use; it is part of health and safety in the UK. A thorough PAT is crucial to find issues that may not be detected normally, so should be carried out by an experienced, skilled operator. The price for PAT testing depends on many different factors, not least geographical area, with prices in the UK ranging from 50p per item to £5.00 or more. On average we find that PAT testing of normal electrical equipment in normal workplaces, such as computers and kettles [...]

Richard Ayre2021-09-13T15:34:12+00:00September 13th, 2021|Guidance|Comments Off

Do I really need to calibrate my PAT tester?

PAT tester Calibration PAT tester calibration - is it really necessary? Do I really have to get it done every year? Members often ask about getting their PAT tester calibrated, and it is a question we often see pop in forums online, "do I really need my PAT tester calibrated every year? It's such an expense!" I bet your customers are asking the same question about their PAT testing! However, most responsible people, know the importance of calibrating their equipment. They know how important it is that their PAT tester operates correctly. PAT tester Calibration PAT tester Calibration is important [...]

Richard Ayre2021-09-13T08:19:12+00:00September 13th, 2021|Guidance|Comments Off

Fixed electrical appliances – is a PAT Tester supposed to test them?

Fixed Electrical Appliances - who should be testing them? Fixed Electrical Appliances - who should be testing them? Is a PAT tester supposed to test fixed appliances? No. Is an electrician supposed to test fixed appliances? No. So who is meant to test fixed appliances? Someone competent to do so. A PAT tester is supposed to check portable appliances (PAT) to make sure they are safe. A portable appliance has a plug. An experienced PAT tester may be competent to do other tasks, like some electrical work, or to test fixed appliances; but he is not expected [...]

Richard Ayre2021-09-13T08:40:56+00:00June 14th, 2021|Guidance|Comments Off

It’s time to start PAT testing again

The HSE expects businesses to resume testing of their equipment following Covid restrictions. In early April (2021) the Health and Safety Executive updated their guidance for "thorough examination and testing of equipment", which includes electrical equipment, and we, the Portable Appliance Testing Trade Association, agree with them completely. The HSE have stated that during the coronavirus pandemic, businesses may have found it difficult to carry out their duty to thoroughly examine and test electrical equipment. This has been because many businesses have been closed, whilst others have reduced or even banned contractors on their sites. We know from [...]

Richard Ayre2021-04-27T18:35:18+00:00April 25th, 2021|Guidance|Comments Off

PAT Testing during the January 2021 Lockdown

PAT Testing during the January 2021 Lockdown Guidance Note 01/2021 Guidance Note for PATTA Members, Duty Holders and the Public 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. PATTA members might be wondering whether or not it is possible for them to continue working during the current lockdown. The view of PATTA is that, at the current time, PAT testing engineers should still continue to work, provided that their [...]

Richard Ayre2021-01-09T17:44:46+00:00January 9th, 2021|Guidance|Comments Off

Class 2 (Functional Earth) – also referred to as Class 2FE

Class 2 (Functional Earth) – also referred to as Class 2FE If you’ve just started to read the new Code of Practice from the IET, you might have noticed a slight change in the way that equipment is classified – previously we’ve considered mains powered electrical equipment to be Class 1 (if it has an earth connection) or Class 2 (if it has double or reinforced insulation.) Some equipment has required an earth for functional or screening purposes, even though it relies on double or reinforced insulation for safety. An example of this would be a laptop power-supply [...]

Richard Ayre2020-09-19T07:29:22+00:00September 19th, 2020|Code of Practice 5|Comments Off

What Exactly Should We Be Able to Test? Guidance Note 03/2020

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 purpose of this document is to attempt to clear up some of the confusion. The Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing (CoP), [...]

Richard Ayre2021-03-10T17:20:26+00:00September 18th, 2020|Code of Practice 5|Comments Off