What are the changes to PAT- new 5th Edition CoP

[NorthEastSpark]

Hello,

We have a load of PAT testing coming up,... unfortunately.

I'm aware that we have now moved from the 4th Edition to the 5th Edition of the code of practice (September).
Has much changed?

 

[DPG]

Hello,

We have a load of PAT testing coming up,... unfortunately.

I'm aware that we have now moved from the 4th Edition to the 5th Edition of the code of practice (September).
Has much changed?

I wondered the same thing. Will probably end up buying the new one.

 

[Julie.]

The description is:-

Among some of the changes in this edition are:

the requirements for electrical safety management

guidance on how to conduct a risk assessment

testing needed to ensure safety in continued use

changes to acceptable test result limits and a new hierarchy of tests

inclusion of ES1 and ES2 to reflect the changes to product standards

guidance on the new product classifications

updated standard references

revised model forms.

- it "only" costs £40+ postage to find out!!

Unfortunately if you're doing much of this type of work, then it needs to be obtained, even if its only for the occasional cross check.

I will probably end up buying it myself, just because I will occasional need to reference it, but its a frustrating cost/necessity

 

[pirate]

Inspector: Have you a copy of the latest 5th edition COP?
Me: No
Inspector: How do you know that this appliance is safe then?
Me: Because I fkn inspected it, ok?

 

[loz2754]

Lots of changes
No table 7.1 anymore recommended frequency of testing. More emphasis on risk based analysis.
No use of the word portable anymore.
Less emphasis on distinctions made between categories of appliance (fixed, stationary etc).
Max earth leakage for all types of AC powered equipment is now 5mA.
Change to the new classification of voltage ranges, ES1 ES2 ES3. Instead of SELV, PELV etc.
Lots more....
Worth a read, in fact, essential reading for anyone involved in ISITEE.

 

[Julie.]

Lots of changes
No table 7.1 anymore recommended frequency of testing. More emphasis on risk based analysis.
No use of the word portable anymore.
Less emphasis on distinctions made between categories of appliance (fixed, stationary etc).
Max earth leakage for all types of AC powered equipment is now 5mA.
Change to the new classification of voltage ranges, ES1 ES2 ES3. Instead of SELV, PELV etc.
Lots more....
Worth a read, in fact, essential reading for anyone involved in ISITEE.

Well my copy arrived today - not looked at it yet, still crying at being £39 lighter!

I will take a look tonight when I can't sleep....

 

[Risteard]

Well my copy arrived today - not looked at it yet, still crying at being £39 lighter!

I will take a look tonight when I can't sleep....

FedEx have lifted mine so my excitement won't be far behind you. Not sure whether it will be worth my hard-earned £39 but it sure beats the £60 for non-members.

 

[pirate]

You have whetted my appetite now! I must buy a copy...
[automerge]1599817027[/automerge]
Well, if things change, it behoves one to keep up to date, and I'm always learning. That's one thing I learned a long time ago!
oh, and the right tool for the job...

 

[pc1966]

Well I got my copy yesterday. Must say I am disappointed really.

The good (if somewhat ironic) thing is the PAT testing is no more, as they have dropped the "portable" aspect to deal with the obvious issue of fixed things like hand dryers that are not really EICR covered but would not always be counted under PAT regimes.

The move to risk-based intervals is theoretically a good idea, as some stuff hardly ever has a risk of damage due to the environment. But having quickly read over that chapter I see absolutely no guidance at all, I felt that gnawing dissapointment you get from reading management BS and realising you have wasted 10 minutes of your life on nothing. My concern is how can you justify a given test interval if the worst happens?

In the past with suggested intervals it would be fairly easy to argue for the high or low end of a range based on other factors, but now you have to magic some value up and be prepared to stand in front of a
court to defend that without any standards-based guidance.

Any thoughts on this folks?

 

[pc1966]

For now hsg107 has a sane table, but will that also disappear following the 5th edition publication?

 

[loz2754]

Well I got my copy yesterday. Must say I am disappointed really.

The good (if somewhat ironic) thing is the PAT testing is no more, as they have dropped the "portable" aspect to deal with the obvious issue of fixed things like hand dryers that are not really EICR covered but would not always be counted under PAT regimes.

The move to risk-based intervals is theoretically a good idea, as some stuff hardly ever has a risk of damage due to the environment. But having quickly read over that chapter I see absolutely no guidance at all, I felt that gnawing dissapointment you get from reading management BS and realising you have wasted 10 minutes of your life on nothing. My concern is how can you justify a given test interval if the worst happens?

In the past with suggested intervals it would be fairly easy to argue for the high or low end of a range based on other factors, but now you have to magic some value up and be prepared to stand in front of a
court to defend that without any standards-based guidance.

Any thoughts on this folks?

I agree. The removal of the interval tables and the shift to a risk based approach to determine the intervals makes things more complicated for those responsible for testing appliances. I suspect most will just continue to do yearly tests just to keep it simple.
I wonder, if and when the City and Guilds course is updated, whether things will be explained better...

 

[pirate]

I wonder how many folks will initially refer to the "old" rules for testing intervals...on the basis that they served well enough, so to speak?
A client who has 2 rental properties insists I test everything every year, even a freezer which clearly doesn't move. she takes her responsibilities seriously, which is a good thing, but other scenarios are much more difficult to "assess". In a hairdressing salon maybe the hand-held dryers should be tested weekly, due to their very nature, but it's hardly practical.

 

[pc1966]

Very much so. Annual testing has the advantage it is easy to manage and justify, even if some items could reasonably be done on a 3 or even 5 year basis.

I would imagine in a hairdresser it would be a case of staff being instructed to check and report any visible damage or add behaviour every week and then to get you in maybe 3-6 monthly or whatever to actually test things, a bit like building sites?

You would think that folk would notice and stop using dodgy equipment automatically, and it is unscrupulous bosses forcing them to proceed with dangerous stuff, but sadly many folk just don't notice. I am surprised at times to see friends/family with stuff that is an obvious fail, like plugs failing to grip the sheath, or flexes beginning to split open. They are not dumb folk, but that just passes them by...

 

[pirate]

Well, here I am, almost halfway through my 2 weeks isolation and...Hurrah! My copy of the 5th Edition arrived today! Should keep me out of mischief for a few days. Not a lot of book for the money, but packed full of interesting stuff, I'm sure.

 

[Julie.]

Well, here I am, almost halfway through my 2 weeks isolation and...Hurrah! My copy of the 5th Edition arrived today! Should keep me out of mischief for a few days. Not a lot of book for the money, but packed full of interesting stuff, I'm sure.

Nope.

Not interesting....

 

[James]

Well, here I am, almost halfway through my 2 weeks isolation and...Hurrah! My copy of the 5th Edition arrived today! Should keep me out of mischief for a few days. Not a lot of book for the money, but packed full of interesting stuff, I'm sure.

Now there’s a book to read if your struggling to sleep.
By page 6 you will be fast asleep

 

[Julie.]

Now there’s a book to read if your struggling to sleep.
By page 6 you will be fast asleep

Never got that far... how did you manage to stay awake so long?

 

[pirate]

For Sale: Brand new and flipped through once, 5th Edition COP handbook. No sensible offer refused...

 

[Moley]

For Sale: Brand new and flipped through once, 5th Edition COP handbook. No sensible offer refused...

Is it hard enough to hit the wife over the head with? If so how about 50p delivered?

 

[pirate]

not really hard enough, it's a paperback...but a good substitute for the Women's Weekly (for those who remember Victoria Wood)