PAT TEST UPS

[andydis]

can you please settle a discussion I am having with a colleague ,

 

Do you PAT TEST your UPS's ?

 

 

 

any links or sources would be great.

[mikeprice]

I thought it was for Portable stuff - so only visual inspection at most

[Chris_Cook]

PAT testing isn't really a yes or no thing. You need to look at risk. Legally, an employer needs to ensure all equipment is safe to use, and where necessary, you need to get advice from someone qualified. In this case, I'd say that's the manufacturer, who would have been asked this question before.

 

If its not being moved, the risk of damage to the unit is minimal.

 

You might want to look at checking things after an incident where it gets damaged - like lighting strikes etc. But at that point you also need to think about whether you trust it for business continuity reasons.

 

I'd also want to look at proper management processes like checking the age of the UPS and battery condition - The risks aren't really around Earth continuity etc, more the high capacity lead acid battery.

 

This assumes big server type UPS's. Small ones that you might put in an office would be different. But I'd be reluctant to plug one into a PAT tester without talking to the manufacturer.

 

You would also want to have some sort of fail-over switch installed so that you can remove the UPS for testing without downtime.

 

A quick google shows this: https://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/FA158687/. So, it can be done, but really requires specialist knowledge or else you will get a false fail result.

 

You can also do a visual inspection for damage etc.

 

The thing that's got me wondering is if you should PAT test your PAT test machine?

[Jobos]

[quote=Chris_Cook;

 

The thing that's got me wondering is if you should PAT test your PAT test machine?

 

Our testing kit gets calibrated annually.

[DrBeaker]

PAT testing isn't really a yes or no thing. You need to look at risk. Legally, an employer needs to ensure all equipment is safe to use, and where necessary, you need to get advice from someone qualified. In this case, I'd say that's the manufacturer, who would have been asked this question before....

 

This .... is why I don't agree with IT people being told to do PAT Testing. We're simply not qualified in that area. I'm certainly no electrician.

 

I was always told PAT Testing itself is basically a farce. Simply as it covers the electrical safety at work bit an employer is legally obliged to do. E.g. if a metal kettle shocked you and wasn't PAT-tested, they'd be issues and possible liability. If it has been tested then they're covered.

 

Bear in mind I've seen in another school mains plugs pass a PAT-test, to find the plastic case itself crumbling away in the mains socket - so how on earth did that get passed? But oh know it's safe, it's got a green PAT test sticker on it.

[ass17]

As a rule I try to find out tests required via the manufacturer. If they can’t supply decide wether the item is classed as portable, does it have a class 1 or 2 logo? Also think about who has access to the equipment? If it’s only by the IT team then the risk will be minimal.

 

So for us, a UPS, I would say it doesn’t move, therefore it’s not portable. Only IT will come into contact with them. All in all, we don’t do anything other than visual inspection.

 

Assess the risk, apply common sense...

[mikeprice]

This .... is why I don't agree with IT people being told to do PAT Testing. We're simply not qualified in that area. I'm certainly no electrician.

 

I was always told PAT Testing itself is basically a farce. Simply as it covers the electrical safety at work bit an employer is legally obliged to do. E.g. if a metal kettle shocked you and wasn't PAT-tested, they'd be issues and possible liability. If it has been tested then they're covered.

 

Bear in mind I've seen in another school mains plugs pass a PAT-test, to find the plastic case itself crumbling away in the mains socket - so how on earth did that get passed? But oh know it's safe, it's got a green PAT test sticker on it.

 

I used to work in a school where they did a full electrical survey - in additional to the PAT test

 

quite a few electrical sockets and switches were given a red sticker - unsafe

 

I left several years later and the light switch in the gents was still there - complete with its red sticker

as were several sockets in the science labs

 

reports are all fine - but it does need someone so act on them

[dhicks]

Do you PAT TEST your UPS's ?

 

We have our larger UPS serviced / tested annually - that checks if the batteries are holding enough charge as well as checking everything is operating safely.

 

The secondary, smaller UPS is visually checked as part of the annual PAT testing, but not connected to a testing machine. The UPS itself runs a daily self-test anyway.

[NetworkServices]

PAT testing is for portable devices. Since it takes three people to lift our UPSs I don't consider them portable.

[Bladez]

As a fully qualified PAT Tester myself with all of the equipment, In current legislation, there is no specific definition of what a “Portable Appliance” is. However, the common interpretation is “any appliance with a plug that can be inserted into a regular wall socket.”

 

Portable does not necessarily mean “moveable”. PAT testing applies to fixed appliances, stationary appliances, IT appliances, portable appliances, cables, chargers and handheld appliances. There are 2 main factors which determine whether an item should be tested. These are the electrical ‘class’ of the item and the ‘category’ of the item.

 

Electrical appliances are typically categorised as Class 1, 2 or 3.

Class 3 refers to low voltage items. They are the least dangerous and therefore the safest class of electrical appliance. Class 3 items do not need to be PAT tested, although any charging leads should be checked. Class 2 includes electrical equipment that doesn’t rely on earth for protection. These should be tested. Class 1 relates to equipment that has basic insulation and needs earth for protection. Regardless of Class, business owners are advised to test all leads with plugs attached where possible.

 

 

I dont know if this will help or hinder, if the worst thing that happens is a visual inspection of the item and cables only due to the fact it is in use and cant be dissconnected, then at least it is recorded as such in the test report. If anything happens as a tester my backside is covered, Pat tests are like MOT's , they are only good for that breif snapshot when i test them. Someone could go and drop a kettle 2 mins after i have tested it, passing it. Their dropping it cracks the case exposing live wires which now means it would fail. But i have already tested and left.

[NetworkServices]

As a fully qualified PAT Tester myself with all of the equipment, In current legislation, there is no specific definition of what a “Portable Appliance” is. However, the common interpretation is “any appliance with a plug that can be inserted into a regular wall socket.”

 

Portable does not necessarily mean “moveable”. PAT testing applies to fixed appliances, stationary appliances, IT appliances, portable appliances, cables, chargers and handheld appliances. There are 2 main factors which determine whether an item should be tested. These are the electrical ‘class’ of the item and the ‘category’ of the item.

 

Electrical appliances are typically categorised as Class 1, 2 or 3.

Class 3 refers to low voltage items. They are the least dangerous and therefore the safest class of electrical appliance. Class 3 items do not need to be PAT tested, although any charging leads should be checked. Class 2 includes electrical equipment that doesn’t rely on earth for protection. These should be tested. Class 1 relates to equipment that has basic insulation and needs earth for protection. Regardless of Class, business owners are advised to test all leads with plugs attached where possible.

 

 

I dont know if this will help or hinder, if the worst thing that happens is a visual inspection of the item and cables only due to the fact it is in use and cant be dissconnected, then at least it is recorded as such in the test report. If anything happens as a tester my backside is covered, Pat tests are like MOT's , they are only good for that breif snapshot when i test them. Someone could go and drop a kettle 2 mins after i have tested it, passing it. Their dropping it cracks the case exposing live wires which now means it would fail. But i have already tested and left.

 

Would this include our particular type of UPSs? Ours don't plug into standard 13A sockets. They are permanently cabled with that thick armoured type cable that gets used on electric ovens.

[jmak]

Would this include our particular type of UPSs? Ours don't plug into standard 13A sockets. They are permanently cabled with that thick armoured type cable that gets used on electric ovens.

 

I think he covered that:

 

..... the common interpretation is “any appliance with a plug that can be inserted into a regular wall socket.”

 

......

 

Regardless of Class, business owners are advised to test all leads with plugs attached where possible. .

[NetworkServices]

I think he covered that:

Good. I was just ensuring that others interpreted those points in the same manner as I did. There's always somebody somewhere that insists anything that receives power from the mains in any fashion is subject to portable appliance testing.

[PotNoodleTech]

No. UPS and Servers in the server room get a visual inspection only. I don't class it as portable equipment as it's physically bolted to a 200kg metal rack that can't be moved.

 

The pat testers kicked up a fuss as they wanted their £1 per device. I told them I'd do them a deal, if they could pick it all up, carry it all into the classroom opposite, plug it all in and get it powered on and working, they are free to pat test it.

 

Suffice to say they declined and moved on to the next room.

[noelmm]

I do a visual test on our UPS's. I don't consider them to be portable but more of a fixed installation however our Site Manager (not PAT qualified himself) insists on anything that plugs into the mains to be tested. We even test our wall mounted smart tv's (again only visual).

 

Remember with PAT testing you as the tester are deemed qualified and experienced enough to make a decision on whether something should be tested or not however I would always say if you are in doubt at the very least do a visual test and record the fact that you have done it on your system.

[msi_school]

The frequency of a PAT and what is tested are all decided by your risk assessments, for example I test a ceiling mounted projector before install and only again if it is taken down however, I test an identical mobile projector every year.

 

Installed IT kit such as Servers, UPSs and Switches are tested before install and then visually inspected each year. We have assessed that as they are installed in fixed locked cabinets in locked rooms and moved the risk of them being damaged is far less than the business risk of extended downtime windows.

[PotNoodleTech]

The frequency of a PAT and what is tested are all decided by your risk assessments, for example I test a ceiling mounted projector before install and only again if it is taken down however, I test an identical mobile projector every year.

 

Interesting - so you pat test brand new equipment?

[Chris_Cook]

The one bit that worries me about giving advice on a public forum about some types of device not needing a PAT test is that you don't know the condition or location of equipment in other schools.

 

There are plenty of bits of kit that shouldn't be subject to an insulation or earth bond test, but how would you feel about a 30 year old UPS with knackered batteries, or a cheap Chinese import that doesn't meet the appropriate standards? What if its in the back of an IT suite or office or mice have been at the internal wiring? There's so much possible variation here - one size doesn't fit all.

 

If a UPS is hardwired, then it perhaps should be tested along with the fixed/installed wiring - at least as far as a visual inspection of wiring and checking for overloads, battery condition etc.

 

Risk assessment needs to be specific to the school in question, not just copied and pasted from somewhere else. The PAT/electrical testing process is about far more than just the checks with your PAT test box.

 

How are you sure an item is safe to use if its not tested/inspected? Ultimately, that's the legal requirement.

[ass17]

New equipment doesn’t need any formal testing.

 

Quoting the HSE

 

“New equipment should be supplied in a safe condition and not require a formal portable appliance inspection or test. However, a simple visual check is recommended to verify the item is not damaged.”

 

 

https://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/faq-portable-appliance-testing.htm

 

 

But.... the only way to make sure it is supplied in a safe condition is to PAT test it for you own piece of mind.

Edited December 13, 2019 by ass17

[msi_school]

Interesting - so you pat test brand new equipment?

 

It is risk assessed, we do the ceiling mounted projectors because they will probably never be inspected again, we would not do the mobile projector beyond a visual for a year. The theatre test there lanterns between every show because the pupils rig some of these and can be expected to touch them while in use.

 

There is no hard and fast rule for the kit but there is quite a thick file of risk assessments covering the rationale for the first inspection and the interval between inspections.

[PotNoodleTech]

It is risk assessed, we do the ceiling mounted projectors because they will probably never be inspected again, we would not do the mobile projector beyond a visual for a year. The theatre test there lanterns between every show because the pupils rig some of these and can be expected to touch them while in use.

 

There is no hard and fast rule for the kit but there is quite a thick file of risk assessments covering the rationale for the first inspection and the interval between inspections.

 

Very good, very thorough!

[localzuk]

We do visual inspections. Things like flood tests and the like don't get done, as the device is an installation anyway (hard wired).