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sweetcheeks82
Hi, After a formal visual does the equipment get a pass sticker or is that only after actual testing?
Thanks
Thanks
Discuss Formal Visual - Pass Sticker? in the Electrical Testing & PAT Testing Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net
if you think it's safe for continued use, then a pass sticker is appropriate. on the test cert. you could put a comment. end of the day, it's your call based on your competence.
You get blue sticks for a visual. Have some greens in my hand and on the back if the pack it shows the range of stickers and log books (kewtech)
Following a formal visual inspection, if a sticker was required at this point, i'd issue a visual inspection only sticker - not a pass label.
This all sounds to be getting a bit out of hand - there is no legal requirement to PAT test at all, but it seems to be providing a lot of people with jobs. Every appliance should be visually inspected before each use, then "PAT tested" every year or whatever, which could just involve a visual inspection or could involve earth continuity, IR, run leakage tests depending on the construction.
Going around "formally visually inspecting" every appliance in the interim period between testing just sounds like busywork. Either carry out the appropriate tests or don't.
What I'm saying is I don't think there should be two separate tests - you do the testing and put a test sticker on, then the user should do a visual (or rather 'all senses except taste' inspection) before they use it, without having to put any more stickers on the appliance.
How come you're going around doing visual-only inspections?
In my opinion you would conduct a visual inspection before you even consider testing an appliance with a PAT tester .... If you have conducted a visual inspection and you are happy with the appliance, I would then proceed to test it applicably and issue a green pass sticker which would cover both your visual assesment and your electronic tests.
But what you've overlooked it that there are 3 levels to this, not 2:
*The user check (which you are referring to wrongly as the visual), to be done before each use. Not recorded or stickered.
*The formal visual inspection (which is what sweetcheeks82 is talking about). Recorded and can be stickered.
*Combined inspection and testing. Recorded and can be stickered.
Formal visual inspections can be carried out inbetween combined inspection & test periods, or even instead of, for some classes of appliance in certain environments. It's all down to the assessment.
In my opinion you would conduct a visual inspection before you even consider testing an appliance with a PAT tester. If there are any visual defects that you are not going to repair, cut the plug off and take the appliance out of use and record your findings.
If you have conducted a visual inspection and you are happy with the appliance, I would then proceed to test it applicably and issue a green pass sticker which would cover both your visual assesment and your electronic tests.
You can purchase visual pass stickers - personally I'd use these for items of equipment that you can't PAT test (laptop chargers, phone charges etc etc)....
What I'm saying is I don't think there should be two separate tests
Should just be user checks and II&TEE. Doing a separate "visual only" is just busywork.
The code of practice for II&TEE is a code of best practice, not a statutory document. The HSE (the people who prosecute if it all goes wrong) say you don't actually need PAT testing at all.The IET disagree with you.
The HSE (the people who prosecute if it all goes wrong) say you don't actually need PAT testing at all.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/july.pdfWell no, that really isn't the case at all, is it?
Point us towards where the HSE say that, but if the guidance you quote is just for low-risk environments, I'll call you out on it...
Well, it does. The whole point of PAT testing is to make sure equipment is 'adequately maintained' in accordance with EAWR, it doesn't say anything about having someone going around putting 2 stickers on everything.Nope, that doesn't back up what you stated in the slightest.
Try again.
... check the plugs on a load of low-risk appliances...
... are you expecting to be able to go around a construction site and stop everybody working for half an hour or so or get them to lug all their power tools out of their van every 3 months so you can test their electrical equipment? Not only that but do it every month so you can have a 'formal' look at it all and slap another sticker on everything?
So it's all down to the duty holder now is it?If the duty holder has decided that is what is required, then yes, obviously.
If they haven't, then no.
So now you don't like what the HSE say!
Make yer mind up.
I didn't say anything of the sort - you were going on about having to do formal visual inspections in addition to combined inspection and testing because it's in the IET code of practice, now you're saying it's all down to the duty holder who in many cases will have subcontracted the PAT testing to somebody who they believe to be an expert in it, hence not doing it themselves.So now you don't like what the HSE say!
Make yer mind up.
Apart from changing a couple of fuses did anything fail?Just done a PAT on 50 items in an office and I did not get an option as the owner said nothing have been checked for the past 6 years so I want everything checked no ifs so I complied and put a pass sticker but certain items were recorded on the test cert as visual only end of story and wont get a call for the next 6 years although had to change 10 13A fuses to 3A )
Apart from changing a couple of fuses did anything fail?
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