PAT Testing News Round-Up - Issue 63

This issue covers:

• Free PAT Testing Workshops
• Is your PATGuard 3 software up to date?
• PAT Superhero on a Mission to Test Efficiently
• Vote Apollo 600 in industry awards
• Which report identifies most reliable appliances
• Versatile PAT at centre of FTS workplace safety service
• Amdea's role in appliance safety is recognised

Free PAT Testing Workshops

Over the next few months, we will be holding a number of free-to-attend PAT testing workshops across the UK. The workshops will be half day sessions and feature a technical presentation, an open group Q&A session, one to one tech support, and product demonstrations if required.

We aim to make these workshops practical in nature, with hands on product demonstrations and we encourage and welcome attendees to bring their own PAT testing kit along, whether it's Seaward branded or not.

The first workshop 'Understanding and Implementing PAT', is available to book onto now, just click here to visit the PAT Workshops page to register. If the workshop is full, you can join the wait list and we will release tickets when they become available although spaces are not guaranteed.

Don't worry if you can't find a location near you, we will be adding more to the list of the coming weeks, just leave your email address and postcode to register your interest and we will let you know when they are added.

Is your PATGuard 3 software up to date?

Last year we released a new version of PATGuard 3, however we are finding that some customers still haven't updated to the new version. Usually you would get a notification within the software to notify that a new version is available, however this may depend on your network settings.

The latest version of PATGuard 3 is 3.3.4. You can check the version of PATGuard 3 that you currently have installed by clicking on the 'Help' tab then selecting 'About PATGuard 3'. You can also click on 'Check for updates' from the same Help tab from within the software.

Please note that you may need to contact your IT department to install the update where required.

PAT Superhero on a Mission to Test Efficiently

The powerful data handling capabilities of modern test technology is helping a local PAT Superhero to deliver effective workplace testing to give employers confidence that their electrical equipment does not pose a danger to users.

The Shropshire-based PAT engineer Anthony Grindrod also known as MrPATtastic, aims to provide ‘superhero’ levels of portable appliance testing, but behind the fun brand is a serious safety message.

Click here to read the full article

Vote Apollo 600 in industry awards

Seaward's most advanced portable appliance tester has been shortlisted in two industry awards schemes for innovative products that are making a real difference in the safety and facilities management sectors.

Online news platforms Tomorrow’s FM and Tomorrow's Health and Safety have both included the Apollo 600 portable appliance tester in the nominees for its 2017 awards.

Voting on the Tomorrow's FM website is available here and for Tomorrow's Health and Safety is here – we’d appreciate your help by registering your support for the Apollo 600 tester.

The Apollo 600 is a multi-purpose PAT that incorporates all of the electrical safety tests required by the IET Code of Practice alongside a range of special features. These include an on-board risk assessment tool to help determine re-test intervals and a built-in digital camera to enable high quality images to be tagged against appliance test records.

For those with a broader responsibility for workplace health and safety inspections, the Apollo 600's universal risk assessment tool enables other work place hazards to be inspected and recorded. These include fire detection, alarm systems and emergency lighting, with the ability to output a wide range of safety labels, test reports and certificates for each.

Which report identifies most reliable appliances

Consumer organisation Which has carried out its annual reliability survey to identify the most and least reliable domestic appliance brands in 16 product categories.

The survey includes electrical appliances such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, fridge-freezers and many more.

This year from 8,469 responses, the survey identified kitchen cooking hobs as being the most reliable type of home appliance. Conversely cookers were rated the least reliable type of appliance – with more than a third developing a fault in the first ten years.

Included in the top three most reliable appliances were cylinder vacuum cleaners and tumble dryers whereas the least reliable includes washer dryers and fridge freezers. The Which report also notes large differences between the best and worst-performing brands. Full details are here

Versatile PAT at centre of FTS workplace safety service

The extended data collection capabilities of advanced PAT technology is helping an established electrical safety testing business to successfully broaden its service base.

For over ten years the core business of Milton Keynes based FTS Safety Solutions Ltd has been the provision of portable appliance testing services for a wide range of industrial and commercial clients.

Click here to read the full article

Amdea's role in appliance safety is recognised

UK industry organisation, the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances (AMDEA) is the first ever winner of the BSI's new Industry Leadership Award.

The BSI citation gives a list of reasons why the role played by AMDEA and its members in the creation of a wide range of standards is so important. It makes specific mention of the fact that it helps to ensure that the UK is a leading force in the improvement of safety and performance requirements for domestic appliances.

“AMDEA is vigorously committed to improving standards in domestic appliances by tirelessly engaging its technical expertise, including that of its members, in the development of international standards,” said AMDEA chairman Simon Grantham.

“This BSI award is testimony to the UK domestic appliance industry's commitment to keep our customers safe, using appliances that offer the highest possible levels of performance and environmental protection,” added Grantham. Details at www.amdea.org.uk