PAT Testing News Round-Up - Issue 22

• PlugSafe highlights electrical safety concerns
• Clarification on PAT labelling
• New advice on electrical safety management
• Electrical fault kills family pets
• Apollo lift off at Safety and Health Expo 2013
• Electrical contractors more optimistic
• Free Seminars Explain New IET Code of Practice

PlugSafe highlights electrical safety concerns

A special electrical safety initiative highlights threats to consumer safety through the availability of counterfeit and unsafe electrical plugs and sockets in the UK.

The PlugSafe information portal is run by a voluntary group of professional electrical engineers that is working with other bodies to oppose the threats to safety posed by faulty electrical goods, illegal counterfeits and loopholes in standards.

The group was formed in response to fears that consumer safety was being compromised. Of particular concern is the number of web retailers who advertise counterfeit plugs which, although being fraudulently marked “BS 1363”, are not compliant.

Among the dangers highlighted on the PlugSafe website are counterfeit fuses, plugs with a partially sleeved earth pin, problems with colour coding of wires, faulty mouldings and poor plug assemblies.

For full details or to give your views visit www.bs1363.org.uk

Clarification on PAT labelling

One of the most discussed areas of the new fourth edition of the IET Code of Practice is its revised guidance on appliance labelling.

The Code now recommends that the date for re-testing should not be marked on the pass label usually attached to appliances after testing. This is a pretty clear statement and aims to stop contractors automatically determining the retest period when the label is applied immediately after inspection and testing.

Nevertheless, in some discussion groups this appears to have triggered considerable debate and some confusion. However this advice needs to be seen in the wider context of the overall theme of the new guidance, which is to clarify the role of duty holders and to emphasise the importance of risk assessment.

The advice from IET and HSE has always been that any test and inspection regime should be based on risk, the reality is that in many cases this has not been the case and the suggested initial test frequencies in the Code of Practice have become standard and have been applied regardless of risk.

Although the new Code says duty holders can take advice from the person doing the inspection and testing, it is they who have the legal responsibility to ensure that the electrical equipment in their charge is safe and it is their responsibility to decide whether or not to vary the inspection and test frequencies.

This is clearly the motive behind the new guidance on labelling. It is of course a significant change to existing practices and without a visual reminder of any next test due dates there is likely to be increased reliance on the effective use of electrical equipment inspection and test records, with the Code also recommending that (previous) test results should be made available to subsequent test operatives. In addition, rather than relying on pre-determined re-test dates, there will also be increased emphasis on the effective visual inspection of appliances.

For full details visit www.apollo600.seaward.co.uk/blog/

New advice on electrical safety management

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has announced that it is working on a new Code of Practice for Electrical Safety Management.

The IET says that there are currently numerous technical publications on specific aspects of electrical safety, but at present, no single authoritative source on good practice for managing electrical safety in organisations.

The new Code of Practice will provide a high level understanding of what managing electrical safety entails and includes an innovative practical self-assessment process built on recognised health and safety management principles. It is expected to be published in the summer of 2013.

Director of IET Standards Carolyn White said “Electrical safety management in organisations is often the responsibility of non-electrically-qualified staff. This new Code of Practice will give them the confidence to implement a number of good practice activities related to their workplace to manage the range of risks associated with the electrical system – and minimise the risk of serious injury or death caused by electrical incidents.

The publication is designed for anyone responsible for electrical safety including electrical engineers, factory managers, facilities managers, risk managers, health and safety officers and others who may not have had systematic training in how to prevent electrical hazards in the workplace.

More details at www.theiet.org