Business PAT Testing

As a business, you have a duty to prevent any harm coming to your employees and customers. Portable appliance testing is one of the ways that you can comply with this obligation. Failure to implement a programme of regular appliance testing can also have insurance implications. Insurance companies assume that when giving insurance cover to a business, the owners of that business are complying with all regulations necessary. An insurance company may reduce, delay or even refuse to pay on a claim for damage if an appliance that has not been tested has caused the damage.

Your responsibility as an employer:

Electricity at work regulations 1989 Regulation 4 (2): ‘As may be necessary to prevent danger all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent so far as is reasonably practicable such danger.’ So you meet the requirements of the 1989 Electricity at work regulations, it is common practice to implement a programme of planned inspection and testing of portable appliances as part of your Health & Safety Proceedures and Risk assesments.

In the Health & Safety At Work Act 1974, all employers have a legal duty to provide safe equipment and every employer must ensure that equipment must be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and good repair. This also includes any electrical items that are in a kitchen like a kettle or microwave.