The great pat testing scam

[Dave 85]

Personally I charge £5 per item for PAT testing and I'm thinking of putting that up next time someone asks.
Why? Because I HATE it. Its the most boring mundane task in the world and personally one, I think, that an electrician is totally wasted on . Its a task that has to be repeated probably billions of times a year in this country, its perfectly simple to anyone with a days training, if someone wants to just label everything, they gonna do that whatever quals they got. Why would any electrician worth their salt actually want this kind of work?

I also think its largely a waste of time in many circumstances...I mean how many people have actually been killed by computers? Of course old electrical equipment liable to damage can become dangerous and should be monitered somehow but I'd say the vast majority of stuff subject to PAT testing will never become dangerous in its working lifetime.

Personally I'd say do away with forced PAT testing alltogether and bring back common sense and survival of the fittest.....

 

[SparkyJoe]

survival of the fittest.....

yeah sod the kids ;/

 

[Dave 85]

survival of the fittest.....

yeah sod the kids ;/

Exactly...All they ever do is laze about, smoke drugs and trash the capital from time to time....who needs em

 

[Philpot]

I have just read my copy of IET Wiring Matters Issue 43. There is a very interesting article about PAT testing. It references HSE INDG231 ( Google it and read) It looks to me like the death nell of PAT testing as we know it. No more every year, no more PAT test everything, no more need for lists. Everything is to be "risk assessed" if it doesn't need testing then a visual inspection is all that is needed. Will the customers ever find out?

Philpot

 

[Dave 85]

I have just read my copy of IET Wiring Matters Issue 43. There is a very interesting article about PAT testing. It references HSE INDG231 ( Google it and read) It looks to me like the death nell of PAT testing as we know it. No more every year, no more PAT test everything, no more need for lists. Everything is to be "risk assessed" if it doesn't need testing then a visual inspection is all that is needed. Will the customers ever find out?

Philpot

Sounds very sensible

 

[topcat]

All sounds good but the HSE can say what they like if your insurace say you have to have it PAT tested are you going to take the risk of not been covered by them

 

[Philpot]

That is true but I'm not sure that many Insurance Co's are interested in rewriting the HSA recommendations. The HSA are after all the official word on safety. Mind you it is as well to watch the "small print".
It does seem unnecessary to treat a engineering factory floor and a hotel room as having the same risk.

It won't stop the cold callers tell the public that everything must be PAT tested every year.

 

[Guest111]

Had a good friend of mine ring me up last year and tell me that the E H O had been to his business and was not happy that stuff was not pat tested andthen came the question "I know youve got a lot on your plate at the minute but could you get me some of them green stickers and fill them in so I can stick em on my machines?" Needless to say we are not such good friends anymore!

 

[PASS Ltd]

Pat Testing labels on filing cabinets is the best thing that i have seen so far. Must find that in the code of practice.......

 

[moospark]

I've seen lots of desks equipotential, so maybe?