can you help solve an on going work debate?

[dan84]

i work for a maintenance company and we do most of our work in nhs buildings, doctors surgeries and health centres etc and we have been told that when we remove a light fitting, appliance etc to repair or replace with a new one we must test the whole circuit and fill in the correct test sheets. what do you reckon?

 

[Adam W]

I don't think it's strictly necessary because the appliances would fall under the remit of in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment (PAT testing) and replacing one is not much different to just plugging something in. Same with the lights - I'm guessing they're connected by means of clik (or similar) connectors and contain control gear so the chances are you'd disconnect them to test anyway.

Being as it's for the public sector it could be that someone somewhere needs some paperwork to satisfy red tape.

 

[dan84]

Thank you for the reply. The paper work is just something we would keep in our office and the clients wouldn't receive them. The lights are conected via klik roses and in our eyes were not altering the circuit in any way and we either change the ballasts etc or replace like for like. we have a similar problem also with our fitters removing water heaters. Before they used to unplug or disconect the heater to descale and bits like that but now they have been told an electrician must isolate them and also test when they are re-instated which we find a waste of time and money.

 

[truckster]

Isn't life great? If a job can be made to cost more and produce more paperwork for some k***head in an office lets do it that way.

 

[gap30]

yes we do work for some schools, thats the same if you swap a light fitting they want a cert, if you swap a fuse spur they want a cert, cracked socket a cert - i believe its because of insurance etc and the fact they get sued for allmost nothing these days, on the up side its a bit of extra work which cant be a bad thing atm

 

[Amp David]

If they're willing to pay for your extra time taken to test and cert, then jobs a good un

 

[tes11]

on that basis if they plug in ( same as a light on a kick plug ) a new heater to a socket circuit do they test that whole circuit lmao

 

[Blowcat]

If installing a brand new or repaired portable appliance then I would have thought a PAT test was only required assuming its being plugged in. (never heard of testing the actual cct)
If your installing it into a fcu/isolator then an additional test cert for that circuit would also be required.
Same as if your replacing a damaged accesory then a test cert would be needed.
As far as installing a light fitting into a plug in klik box, i guess they want to have evidence that the new/repaired fitting leaves the circuit in a safe condition.
Its all about haveing a paper trail if things go wrong.