Portable Appliance Testing
The University Policy for the safety inspection and testing of Portable Electrical Appliances ensures compliance with the Electricity at work Regulations 1989. Regulation 4(2) requires all items of electrical equipment to be maintained so as to prevent danger.
Risks arising from the use of portable electrical appliances must be controlled. An inventory of all portable electrical appliances is maintained by Facilities and a formal test/inspection is carried out at an appropriate frequency depending upon the category of appliance.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Head of Department
- to make arrangements to ensure that purchases of new portable electrical appliances, which fall in any of the categories in paragraph 17 of the policy, are notified to Facilities in order for inspections/tests to be carried out before appliances are used
- to make arrangements to ensure that new portable electrical appliances, which do not, in accordance with paragraph 17 of the policy, require testing, are labelled as being new equipment
- to ensure that assistance is given to the Facilities electrician when carrying out the routine inspection/tests of portable electrical appliances
- to ensure that electrical appliances are not used after the date on the plug unless they are new appliances which do not fall in any of the categories listed in paragraph 17 of the policy
The User
- to carry out visual inspections of their portable electrical appliances at appropriate intervals
- not to use electrical appliances after the 'Do Not Use After' date on the plug
- not to use electrical appliances that do not bear a test label unless they are new and do not fall in any of the categories listed in paragraph 17 of the policy
Facilities
- to carry out the inspection and testing of portable electrical appliances in accordance with appendices 1 and 2 of this policy
University Policy for the Safety Inspection and Testing of Portable Appliances