A couple in Kingsbury, Warwickshire, lost everything when their house went up in flames due to an electrical fault in their tumble dryer. The back of their house was so badly damaged it had to be rebuilt, and their bedrooms and living rooms were scarred by smoke damage. Life for this couple and their young family, understandably, became incredibly difficult as they struggled through financial and emotional stress whilst they rebuilt their home.
At the time, the couple were unaware that their particular tumble dryer had been recalled, and carried on using the tumble dryer because they thought it functioned fine. After the devastation they experienced they are now currently backing Electrical Safety Firsts campaign to raise awareness of the danger of electrical items and why it is so important to register your electrical products and keep an eye out for product recalls.
Faulty appliances cause £41.6 million of damage every and roughly 46 deaths per year in the UK alone.
Whilst it is important to look after your family and pets at home by registering your electrical products, it is equally as important to look after your employee’s in the work place.
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 requires you to ensure that any electrical equipment that you have in workplace that have the potential to cause an injury is maintained in a safe condition. There frequency of the inspections and test of your electrical equipment is simply down to the type of equipment that you are using in your workplace. So for example, a computer in an office will need to be checked more often than a desk lamp.
It is recommended that all electrical products within commercial properties and rented accommodation is PAT tested at least once a year. Because the UK is now importing more and more of our electrical goods from overseas, it is quite possible that they have not been subject to a strict examination and testing procedure, like UK manufactured appliances. So the testing of these appliances and products is of paramount importance.
PAT Testing is a complex procedure that should only be carried out by trained electricians.
Once the electrician has completed the PAT test a label should be placed on the equipment highlighting the status of the equipment. “Passed for use” means that the equipment is safety and ready to use. “failed Do not Use” means that the appliance has failed the test and should not be used under any circumstances with until it is has been fixed or replaced. Most PAT Testing Labels will also have the date of when the nest test is due. Acting as a reminder to keep your appliances tested and maintained so you are safe from risk of injury or fire.
Be sure to keep your home and work place safe by registering all your electrical appliances, looking out for product recalls and PAT testing appliances in the workplace to ensure the safety of your work place.
Click here to view our range of PAT Testing labels and record cards.
