What is Portable Appliance Testing (PAT testing)?The 'Inspection and Testing of In-Service Electrical equipment' (usually referred to as Portable appliance testing or PAT), was introduced to enable companies & organisations comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations. To meet these regulations it is necessary to have in place a program of inspection and electrical safety testing of portable appliances. Other legislation of specific relevance to electrical maintenance - The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 Do I need my portable electrical appliances tested?To comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations all portable electrical appliances should be routinely inspected and tested by a competent person. The regulations apply equally to small companies and the self employed as to the larger organisations. What electrical equipment needs to be tested?The regulations cover all items of in-service electrical equipment, this includes all movable items connected to the mains supply by 13A BS1363 plugs, BS EN60309-2 industrial plugs or hard wired via a fused connection unit. In addition to being responsible for the safety of their own portable appliances, companies are also responsible for the safety of electrical equipment brought on site by employees and contractors. How often does it need testing?The requirements are based on principles of risk assessment and reasonable practicability. The frequency of inspection and testing required will vary depending on the type of appliance, its location, and its use. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) publish advise and guidelines. We can develop an inspection & testing schedule for you. What do the tests entail?The testing consists of two separate activities; a visual inspection to check for damage and poor electrical standards and a series of instrument tests to check for less obvious electrical faults. Microwave leak testing Microwave safety: The design of microwave ovens ensures that the microwaves are contained within the oven and can only be present when the oven is switched on and the door is shut. Leakage around and through the glass door is limited by design to a level well below that recommended by international standards. However, microwave leakage could still occur around damaged, dirty or modified microwave ovens. It is therefore important that the oven is maintained in good condition. Users should check that the door closes properly and that the safety interlocks, fitted to the door to prevent microwaves from being generated while it is open, work correctly. The door seals should be kept clean and there should be no visible signs of damage to the seals or the outer casing of the oven. If any faults are found or parts of the oven are damaged, it should not be used until it has been repaired by an appropriately qualified service engineer.
Microwave energy can be absorbed by the body and produce heat in exposed tissues. Organs with a poor blood supply and temperature control, such as the eye, or temperature-sensitive tissue have a higher risk of heat damage.The practice of physical inspection goes a long way to ensuring that the incidence of leakage above recommended allowances is kept low, however the only sure way of checking functionality is to measure for potential leakage using a calibrated Instrument capable of detecting microwave frequncies at low levels.Combining these two practices is a reliable method of maintenance and gives piece of mind to employers and employees and demonstrates compliance to Electricity at Work Act and Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations. We can provide effective testing using calibrated equipment to ensure that your microwave oven complies with current leakage standards:BS EN 60335-2-25: Domestic Microwave Ovens
BS EN 60335-2-90: Commercial microwave OvensWithin the standards and guidance documents, microwave oven leakage should not exceed 5mW/sq cm when measured at a distance of 50mm or more from the exterior surface of the appliance under test. We use accurate and reliable test equipment to verify that microwave ovens meet these standards.
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