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?

 

[Risteard]

I've seen distribution boards with PAT test pass labels. Perhaps they didn't like the standard periodic inspection labels?

 

[oldtimer]

Got a job a year ago when the PIR highlighted that the baynot cap fitting was broken fine then a year later highlighted there was no earthing to the gas and water ? ? ? So I found out that they were doing a rolling PIR ie 20% a year only problem is this is meant for an industrial and commercial environment not a domestic seems they make up the rules as they go along and there was no PIR sticker

 

[shellyanne]

I recently went back to a school I had tested for years, they decided to go with a cheaper 60p company that approached them (although I offered a competative price) they finished the school in 2 days 8.30 - 4.30 and tested over 700 items, 1 man. I was back just to test the items they would not test as they are at height and they couldnt do it (no risk assessment for working at height and no 3 pin 16amp leads to test the equipment). Well I did my calculations and they would have had to test 1 peice of equipment every
1min 15secs!
I have been doing this for years and always work to a high standard and I can only do a max of 210 if I arrive early, work later and it includes a large it siute, and feel knacked afterwards. I couldnt do this on a daily basis so god knows how they can do 350 a day. They are obviously another company that just goes round putting stickers on with no formal visual inspection. It really upsets me that they can do this in schools, I like to go home at the end of the day knowing I did a great job and made it a safer place to work for everyone.:cheesy:

 

[RISElectrical]

I have been told (by a spark that in general opinion is highly rated) that with the new seward tester he has that he is averaging 600 a day, working 8-4 in offices etc. Bluetooth printer clipped to belt, and he says the tester will test an appliance in 10 seconds max.

food for thought

 

[Silly Sausage]

Heehee...Respect, that just about beats my all time daily record.
He must be awesomely fast at opening & closing plug tops.
and have lightningly fast fingers to input the data!

It's the one job that I'll never do again.