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i have been suspended from work regarding my PAT test machine been out of calibration,i work full time as a PAT Tester.
There is no re-call proceedure set up, i carry a spare meter so sent this to head office to be repaired to cover me when mine went in,this spare machine went missing from head office i told my line manager my machine was now out of calibration he said he would chase spare this went on for months i have e mails etc proving this, my machine had previously been calibrated by a firm who where not seaward approved and couldnt remove service message so didnt have a prompt when calibration was due as it had been on the whole time, work are now pushing gross misconduct and dictating regulations such as EAWR im massively concerned as had told both my managers have e mails asking for my spare meter back and mine was out of calibration! got asked on site to show my calibration certificate couldnt produce one due to been out of date! guy sent e mail to the head boss, now im going to take the fall
my question is should there be something in place to ensure the machines calibration is monitored
im not self employed is it my responsibility only to ensure machine is calibrated
i realise i have a responsibility as an opretive but have not kept the fact it was out of calibration to myself
really confused as feel i shouldnt be getting fired! i never changed the way i tested always inspected etc as
on salary there was no reason to cut corners!
i know i have a resonsibility but is it totally my fault?
any one with a little more insight to the regs etc EAWR im worried i could get in trouble with one of the professional bodies really stressing im sure i will get slated for not been responsible but i was told to carry on as under pressure to complete programe

Of the tester is out of cal doesn't necessarily mean you can't use it. Pends for how long it is out of cal. And if it is out of cal you can't get the sack if it still works. Use a meter test box to proof it is within a certain range. EAWR says you have to ensure personnel nad site safety. You can test an appliance, pass it somebody takes it to use and dropps it and therfore nolonger safe to use. You pased it five minutes earlier. A PAT - like a MOT - verifies and validates only for that moment of the test.
90 percent of all application you can judge whether they are safe or not. OK you still have to proove it. Unless you put deliberately someone's life at risk you can't get the sack.
In court it has to be proofed to you that an appliance was UNSAFE not the other way round.
 
Stickywicket from what i have read,i dont think you have anything to worry about,it seems you made your managers aware the tester you was using was out of calibration.I have always used my own testers at work,and ensure i have the certificate in the testers bag and management have a copy on their files.Afew weeks before calibration i let them know its coming up(they pay for calibration)if its not done on time i dont use it simples.Keep hold of all emails etc to prove you were competent in your approach to getting it sorted and getting on with your job. Hope it works out well for you.
 
Stickywicket from what i have read,i dont think you have anything to worry about,it seems you made your managers aware the tester you was using was out of calibration.I have always used my own testers at work,and ensure i have the certificate in the testers bag and management have a copy on their files.Afew weeks before calibration i let them know its coming up(they pay for calibration)if its not done on time i dont use it simples.Keep hold of all emails etc to prove you were competent in your approach to getting it sorted and getting on with your job. Hope it works out well for you.

Paul it may sound like a silly question but why do you use your own testers plus I realise that your employer pays for the calibration but I would see it as an extra expense for you.
 
I was brought up using Metrel and to be honest in my humble opinion theres no testers on the market that can touch them
both for fixed wire and pat. I have used Meggers,Fluke tester,in the past and most companys seem to go for Meggar.I think its what you get used to and have confidence in readings taken.Maybe i have just been lucky with employers who offer me the choice of using my own or their testers,in saying that ive only had Three jobs in Thirty years.Maybe get a thread started which tester do you prefer and why
 
I use a Metrel for Fixed wire testing,Metrel for Pat,and Fluke for Thermal Imaging only the tester for fixed is my own
 
If they supply the equipment they are responsible for it.
Also, if it's a disciplinary hearing they have tô offer you the choice of a witness, they are not allowed to contribute to the meeting but thèy are a second pair of ears and if they have a little tape recorder about their person who can say they haven't remembered every word!
 
Stickywicket, we would all like to know how you got on at the interview. As you can see there have been a lot of posts on this thread offering good advice. So please let us know what happened.
 
Stickywicket, we would all like to know how you got on at the interview. As you can see there have been a lot of posts on this thread offering good advice. So please let us know what happened.

Perhaps his Mother has grounded him and taken away all privileges like internet access? Starting to lose interest in this thread now due to lack of update... I'm impatient like that lol
 
Perhaps his Mother has grounded him and taken away all privileges like internet access? Starting to lose interest in this thread now due to lack of update... I'm impatient like that lol
"Patience is a virtue find it if you can. Seldom in a woman...never in a man" but I am trying....stay with it. Maybe he will let us know. Here's hoping and male patiently waiting...
 
Invest in a pocket/micro recorder, and take that into this so-called disciplinary hearing. It will record everything that anyone says at that hearing. I have been using one at every official site/project meeting for several years now. They can't then deny anything that they have said or told you at a later date... You can get a fairly decent one for around 30+ notes, that will record for an hour to 90 minutes....
hmm....freedom of information act at work here eng..lol....
 
Fairly sure you can record people's voices without prior permission, same with filming without audio. Although for it to be used in court they have to be informed.
yes i know i know....well if you can take film of people without their prior permission (think spy cameras)....
 
As per post 9:
"1. Alligations of a failure to ensure your pat tester is annually calibrated

2. Alligations of knowingly using an-uncalibrated tester which could result in a serious breach of our contract to customer
3. Allegations that your failure to adhere to the companys and staturory requirements have breached the implied term of mutual trust and confidence and fidelity of the relationship between you" my firm & our customer ????? Dont even really understand this final"

1. If it was his Pat Tester, then he needs to be careful here.
2. Again as per 1.
3. This is a big issue with respect to 3. Not only is this a minefield for the company, but this is also a minefield for the employee, if it was his own tester. (For instance, if you are using your own equipment, you have a duty to the company you work for, in terms of trust & confidence, as laid out in employment case law, that your act(s) do not undermine the trust & confidence the employer has in you, or the client has in your employer.

He needs to ensure that he takes someone in with him to all meetings, & he should have joined the union right at the outset (the employer does not need to know that he has just joined the union). Knowing that he is in the union may make a major difference, because the employer may not want to go that route, & the employer knows that he is not dealing with a novice/ or individual.

He could initially take a non union rep into the meetings, but he should always take someone in, & they should be taking notes.

There is also the issue of whether he has been employed by the company for the required period, (I think this is for at least a year), to be able to have the statutory protection, relating to employment law.
 
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