really stupid p.a.t testing question

[serverus]

As the title suggests this may seem a little strange.

I recently completed the city and guilds 2377 one day course which has an exam at the end and my employer now expects me to carry out the testing.

This is the stupid part. on the course i was told that if the item fails, not only should i place a sticker on it and remove from service but also that i should cut the plug off to make sure it isnt used again.

Now, i mentioned this to my employer and they threw a fit about the possibilities of me cutting plugs off.

What exactly is the correct procedure?

 

[Adam W]

It should be taken out of service and reported to the authorised person, which in reality means don't plug it back in, and tell the person in charge - the item may belong to a member of staff which they might want to take home and continue using at their own risk.

 

[telectrix]

good answer. don't cut plug off, label it with a fail and report as said. You could remove the fuse if it makes you happy

 

[ringer]

It is not necessary to cut off the plug, but you MUST label it clearly as failed AND make the responsible person aware that you have failed it AND ensure that it is moved to a safe place i.e. removed from the office/workshop and put somewhere it is unlikely to be used. It is then down to the responsible person to ensure it is not used unless fixed or it is scrapped. Always best to have a conversation with the responsible person before you start testing as to the procedure to be followed if you fail an item. Put it in writing and get them to sign it if you are in any way uncertain. And don't be intimidated because they are your employer - you are taking on a responsibility and need to ensure you are fulfilling that responsibility as far as is reasonably practicable. If you suspect they will put it back into service then don't cut off the plug, but remove the fuse and hand it to the responsible person stating what you have done and why you have done it AND back that up in a written report. Behave responsibly and have pride in your standards. Your opinion as tester overrides theirs as regards safety of equipment - go over their head if you have to. Not easy, I know, but sometimes necessary.

 

[Tim James]

I think this is a perfect example of the C&G 2377 being out of touch with what really happens. According to the Health and Safety at Work Act, it is up to the employer to ensure that the electrical equipment used in the workplace is safe. How they achieve that is up to them.

If they decide to train you to PAT Test it, then that's a good thing. But, you must remember that it's their stuff! Just as if you offer a PAT Testing Service to your customers it's still your customer's responsibilty to make sure it's safe - it's your job to check it, and their responsibility to make sure it is safe.

I do accept that if you're a gas fitter, and you find a dodgy gas fire or boiler, then you're required by law to disconnect it so it can't be used. But no such law exists for PAT Testers.

On another forum there was a case of an engineer who failed a Dyson Vacuum cleaner because he couldn't get an earth on it, and chopped the plug off. Now we know that reason he couldn't get an earth was because it was class 2 but he didn't see the symbol. The vacuum was 2 weeks old, the customer took it back to Curry's who sent it back to Dyson, declared it to be perfectly safer - apart from the fact that some muppet had chopped the plug off. They charged £70 for a new cable assembly (plug is colour coded to the vacuum and moulded onto the cable!)

So, in this case, I would be careful to define my own responsibility. If my employer asks me to check their stuff, then I will do so. I will mark those items which pass with a green sticker, and those items which fail with a red one. And I'll update the log book too. But as for what happens after that, is for my employer, who is responsible under HASWA, to decide.

This is something which we talk about on our course, which is based on the real world, as well as the Code of Practice.

PAT Testing Training Courses from PAT Testing Expert

 

[mogga]

Ages ago I had a guy go off on one when he found the unshielded plug tops cut off both the TV and a handlamp in a garage he said they were HIS stuff and I shouldnt have tested them to which his manager told him to take all personal equipment out if he wasnt happy as tomorrow if he was off then jimmy from another garage called in to cover him could pick it up and have an accident hence leaving the garage liable Manager then asked why id cut the plugs off "Im going to replace them after testing all equipment " the nuggat never gave me the chance to explain that

 

[nickblake]

I will never cut a plug off an appliance this was after a mate was done for criminal damage un less im going to replace it exctly as you have said , it was thrown out of court by the way , when i do pat testing if its in the building regardless of who owns it it will get tested and the reason is exactly as mogga has stated could be faulty some one could die and it would be well it was pat tested yesterday , the other thing i do is if i find an unsheiled plug i will replace it and test for the cost of a plug top its peanuts realy

 

[telectrix]

it's these new fangled vulcanised plugs get me, nick. just can't seem to get the wires into the pins through the hole i've drilled for cable entry.

 

[i=p/u]

just take sledge to it,

 

[raustin]

As the title suggests this may seem a little strange.

I recently completed the city and guilds 2377 one day course which has an exam at the end and my employer now expects me to carry out the testing.

This is the stupid part. on the course i was told that if the item fails, not only should i place a sticker on it and remove from service but also that i should cut the plug off to make sure it isnt used again.

Now, i mentioned this to my employer and they threw a fit about the possibilities of me cutting plugs off.

What exactly is the correct procedure?

Think the instructor taking your course needs a refresher. I completed 2377 last month and we were told DO NOT cut the plug off faulty equipment. It is the property of the client and cutting the plug off would be classed as destruction of property. Unless you have any agreement with them that you'll cut the plug off any faulty equipment, leave it attached. As its been said, make sure you make it as failed, remove it from service and inform the responsible person.

 

[expo09]

I've got a question. Can you technically force someone not to continue using an appliance that has failed a PAT test? You can remove it from service and put a fail sticker on it but that doesn't stop someone plugging it back in and continuing to use it once you have gone.

 

[ringer]

Short answer - No, you can't
Long answer - Cover your arse. Apply a big red 'fail' sticker, remove the fuse (if possible), inform the (customer's) responsible person immediately, insist that it is removed away from the normal area of utilisation, you can only cut off the plug if you have the customer's authorisation in writing to do so, put in writing what you have done. It is then entirely the customer's responsibility what happens.