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Ask The Trades › DIY Forum › Electrical Questions › Portable appliance testing

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Portable appliance testing (Read 6031 times)

young senior

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Portable appliance testing
Mar 30^th, 2012, 9:47am

I am a volunteer for a charity,having completed a PAT distance learning course am now checking electrical goods eg hair dryers, table lamps, and other portable appliances. logging,and signing & applying test label to plug. Goods are sold in charity shops having been donated by general public.
I have been asked to PAT test their commercial offices following request from landlord.
Am I qualified to do this as a volunteer.

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The_Trician

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Trade: Electrician

Re: Portable appliance testing
Reply #1 - Mar 30^th, 2012, 9:59am

Do you have Pubic Liability insurance cover?

Should your activities result in any form of damage to the client's property you could be faced with a large claim - especially if it affects a computer full of valuable data.

Accidently knock a container full of liquid over, or even press the wrong 'Test' button at the wrong time and you could fry the pc.

If it were me, and I wasn't charging for doing it, I would have a good chat with the entity you will be doing the work for, and ensure that some form of written agreement is in place which indemnifies you against any form of claim for property damage.

Thats the trouble with a colostomy - you can never find the shoes to match the bag.......

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Lectrician Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Ask The Trades Posts: 8815 Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0 Braunton, North Devon United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: Portable appliance testing Reply #2 - Mar 30^th, 2012, 11:23am As TT says, while you have the qualification, you need to ensure you are insured as required, even if carrying out the work volunantarily.
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ElectricalTraining GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0	Re: Portable appliance testing Reply #3 - Mar 30^th, 2012, 3:04pm Quote: I am a volunteer for a charity,having completed a PAT distance learning course am now checking electrical goods eg hair dryers, table lamps, and other portable appliances. Was it a City&Guilds course? Take a look at this Video
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young senior GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0	Re: Portable appliance testing Reply #4 - Mar 30^th, 2012, 8:32pm Thanks for advice. Volunteers are insured for Public Liability, and PAT will be carried out at the charity`s offices. However I wiil check again with Director to make sure I`m not liable if accidental damage occurs. A great forum, thanks again.
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CWatters Super Member Offline "Daddy fick it" says James Posts: 5150 Total Thanks: 58 For This Post: 0 Gender:	Re: Portable appliance testing Reply #5 - Apr 1^st, 2012, 7:22pm Not everything needs testing. For example you might only need to test PC's if they are over 5 years old. Table 1.. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg236.pdf http://www.pattesters.co.uk/pat-testing-faqs/how-to-pat-test-computers
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PATTesting GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 58 For This Post: 0	Re: Portable appliance testing Reply #6 - Apr 3^rd, 2012, 6:22pm Hi, The IEE code of practice for in service inspection and testing of electrical equipment states that "This code does not deal with the legislation relating to the supply of equipment whether new or secondhand, to a third party by way of sale, hire or any other method.
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