We’ll be considering equipment, its use, PAT testing and training.
We will start on this page with Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) taking guidance from the Health and Safety Executive. Other subsidiary pages will cover other aspects.
Now the Shed has taken shape we will look with greater focus at fire safety and fire escape for Norton Shed specifically. It will occupy some weeks because we want to include virtually all Shedders in discussing it. It’s not a tick box exercise and focuses on our reality.
Here is the relevant HSE guidance and then we will share our implementation in the context of the Shed now and in future years.
PAT Testing HSEOur take on this for NORMENS:
NORMENS Shed is responsible for setting appropriate Health and Safety rules. We need to think hard about it (that is one of the best and vital safeguards). Dangers are often introduced by people not by equipment. Don’t blame the equipment – it is our job to look after it.
We are not subject to Health and Safety at Work regulations. This is confirmed by the HSE to UK Men’s Shed Association because a Shed like ours is not a workplace. If someone was employed to supervise the Shed or to do any role there then they would be at work and the Shed would be like any workplace. It is recognised that our Sheds are hobby places that run for valuable wellbeing reasons.
There are some summary facts that appear on the HSE web-site that are introduced by the statement “there are many common myths about PAT testing . . . ” Follow this link https://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/faq-portable-appliance-testing.htm to see some key facts that even the HSE want us to understand.
- It is not law that PAT testing has to take place and certainly not that it has to be done annually. That might be a decision by organisations that have rules set from the top nationally or a requirement by insurers but it is not “law”
- Not all equipment needs to be PAT tested. Equipment that is not portable (it does not use a plug into a socket) is not normally recommended to be tested.
- It is not a stipulation that a “professional” undertakes much of the work because it is about checking cables into plugs, into equipment, damaged in some way and connections inside a plug (if accessible). Visual checking/inspection is important and that can be be done by most Shedders with a bit of explanation.
- The frequency of testing is not laid down. If an item (such as a table lamp) is not often moved, damage to the cable ends will be far less likely happen.
- The message to Shedders is that if there is damage to cables draw label it with a tag and put it aside for repair or replacement.
- If items are new, then the assumption is that they are fit for purpose and do not need testing.
- Anything double insulated (no earth wire to the plug) that falls outside of the testing regime. Watch the cable though!
It is not a legal or fixed requirement) for annual testing. It depends on the amount of use. There are some recommendations in the HSE document for office/hotel settings where items of equipment tend to remain in their place even though they have a plug which might be regarded as roughly equivalent to our Shed. In fact Sheds are remarkably free from accidents which often tend to come from hand held non electrical tools like chisels, hammers and screwdrivers.
The message from the table is that all Shedders should keep an eye on the condition of electrical equipment as a matter of course and that periodically an exercise is done with checks recorded.
We will be producing an electrical equipment register item by item in which we will record when more formal inspection has taken place on each item.
Formal (PAT) testing will be undertaken on the equipment requiring it every two years.
What to look for in a visual inspection.
