PAT Testing

[localzuk]

Visual only, Servers, switches ect fitted into a rack are not classed as portable.

 

This is not true - servers are definitely classed as portable equipment - they have normal plugs and connectors, they aren't "hard wired" in. UPS's *can* be classed as portable or not - depends on how they are connected - ours is hard wired, so it isn't "portable".

 

A fixed appliance is something like a hand drier in a bathroom, or an extractor fan in a window.

 

https://www.pat-testing-course.com/blog/faqs/types-of-appliances/

[Andrew_C]

It is reasonable to treat them as installed. This does not negate the need to prove they are safe.

 

Suggested initial test periods are shown in the table below. Note the initial - if after a few years you have evidence that there is no degradation / damage to equipment, you can alter the frequency to a longer period. Likewise, if you find the same equipment damaged every year, your test period should be reduced.

 

[DrBeaker]

...

Never PAT a UPS....

 

How else does it know when it's been a good UPS? Good little UPS protecting the servers from that power outage! There's a good UPS!

[Ditto]

I can certainly align to the stories of external PAT testers sticking labels on any and every item they could find. We even had a pile of e-junk that was going to be IEEE disposed and stickers galore went on those. I think the expression 'money for old rope' should become 'money for old cable'! I wasn't present, but I think it's highly likely the majority of leads were visually inspected only and not tested on PAT testing equipment. At my school where I am a governor, we trained up the site manager and we do our own now, and we can even loan him out to other schools in the MAT and cross charge! There's a lot of misunderstanding in schools about PAT but this thread has addressed much of that. The HSE link provide earlier in the thread is useful, but I found this one informative and easy to read https://surreyfire.co.uk/pat-testing-explained/. I do like the idea of testing the UPS are part of this, but we'd need to get one for our server first

[mikeprice]

Worked in a school once and the IT tech who was leaving told me about an external PAT tester who was happily sitting there testing a bag of EU style 2 pin cables (dunno how but whatever)

they were paid per cable/device

BM kicked them off site and wouldn't pay without details - deleted all devices that had no description (i.e not identifiable - could just be a cable) and just paid that

 

heard similar things from other schools

 

Any school where I have worked (the above was before I was there) the IT dept have been told when PAT testing was to be done and supervised the server room (and IT techs room)

in ALL cases the professional PAT testers agreed that a visual inspection was fine

 

does remind me of a health and safety inspection at my last school on an afternoon that I didn't work (part timer at the time)

 

the server room/my office was designated as a massive fire risk and needed to be dealt with immediately

Reason - site manger (always be a friend of the site manager) 'couldn't find' a key to my room - so the H&S person couldn't enter and 'inspected' it through the small window

and saw several 4 way extension leads curled up in a corner - assumed they were live (they were not) and flagged it up as a major fire risk

 

so he had 'done his job' and identified a 'major fire risk' - i.e. ticked a few boxes and earned his money

 

DH insisted I needed to tidy up my room (the horror - couldn't find anything after) before I found the site manager who explained the truth

[crc-ict]

They always get the PAT testers in during the day in term time here, so strictly visual only for servers, switches and any 'infrastructure'.

 

Yes, the LA require 12 monthly PAT for everything, but these items get recorded on the list, and get a pass sticker, just recorded as Visual Only.

 

Anyone who wanted to do otherwise here would be told to 'go fish'.

Edited January 30, 2019 by crc-ict

[SeanAllen]

PAT is Portable Appliance Test. if it's not portable a visual will do. The trick is to do a risk assessment so you can prove you looked at the problem.

[DrBeaker]

I had to look at a classroom issue a few years ago when the plug had been PAT-tested only the month before. During the work I had to remove the plug from the wall socket, only for the plastic to be that britttle from age that it fell apart in my hands when trying to remove the plug from the socket. Yet it had been PAT-tested the month before. What a joke.

 

Hence why PAT-testing has such a bad rep.

[forkies]

PAT is Portable Appliance Test. if it's not portable a visual will do. The trick is to do a risk assessment so you can prove you looked at the problem.

 

Not saying I don’t agree with you, but our Health and Safety consultant referred us to this guidance by HSE (link at end of message) which states:

Section 11: portable “means equipment that is intended to be connected to a generator or a fixed installation by means of a flexible cable and either a plug and socket or a spur box, or similar means.”

Section 47: combined inspection and test (pat) “Such faults can only be reliably detected by a combined visual inspection and test. This should be carried out periodically to back up the checks and inspections and is likely to be justified”

 

Therefore according to HSE you should carry out testing on top of visual inspections for pretty much all equipment that has a flexible lead, whether it be with a plug or a spur which is not portable at all. But yet they do not specify how often this should be so as you say it is down to the responsible person to risk assess and determine how often that should be.

 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg107.pdf

[Andrew_C]

^THIS^ But you, if competent, set the schedule.