Student owned chargers and PAT testing

[dcwhitworth]

Does anyone have a policy of what should occur with student owned laptop power supplies if they want to use them at school ?

 

On paper here they should be PAT tested before use, but this rule is just plain ignored by both students and staff and I wondered what everyone else's experience was ?

 

I'm not a great believer in rules that are pretty much unenforceable, but I'm unsure what the legal implications may be of it being ignored (as no doubt will everyone else, PAT testing seems shrouded in uncertainty, we seem to get a different answer from every 'expert' we ask a question of).

 

So how do other schools handle student owned PSUs and the like ?

[FN-GM]

It is not a legal requirement to PAT test devices. However the schools insurer may require it.

 

Really its not particle to PAT test student devices, they would change that often you will need someone full time to do it!

[Meldrew]

PSUs should be double insulated anyhow...

 

Meldrew

[dcwhitworth]

PSUs should be double insulated anyhow...

 

Meldrew

 

Not always, most laptop PSUs I've seen aren't

[HarryMonkey]

PSUs should be double insulated anyhow...

 

Meldrew

 

Maybe, maybe not. However, the mains lead, where present, is still a testable part of the setup (albeit only requiring a visual inspection).

[tom_newton]

Myth: All office equipment must be tested annually <- a visual inspection will do nicely

[Gibbo]

Put the onus and responsibility of the owner to ensure their equipment is fit for purpose and safe and that you expect their equipment to meet the same stringent standards as the rest of the school's equipment.

[win]

Good point about PAt testing BYOD devices. It isn't feasible in a working environment so it is not enforced here, perhaps a sign could be put up in a common area to give people the option to PAT test their device by a suitable qualified person.

[dcwhitworth]

Put the onus and responsibility of the owner to ensure their equipment is fit for purpose and safe and that you expect their equipment to meet the same stringent standards as the rest of the school's equipment.

 

Yes but can you put that onus on pupils and are they legally able to accept the responsibility ?

[Pyroman]

and what happens if the cable is damaged and they continue to use it even when you've failed it? If it's school equipment i cut the plugs off, if it's a students personal property you'd get into bother for that i'm sure!