Is PAT Testing A Legal Requirement?
Although PAT testing is not a legal requirement the law does require however that employers, ensure that all electrical equipment they provide in their business is safe and properly maintained. This means that PAT testing is a critical part of your business health and safety and should be considered part of a solution to your safety concerns.What regulations are a legal requirement?
The UK Health and Safety Executive along with insurance companies will expect you to perform PAT testing to ensure that you are compliant with certain regulations including:
- Health & Safety at Work Act of 1974
- The Electricity at Work Regulations of 1989
- The Provision an Use of Work Equipment Regulations of 1998
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations of 1999
Not complying with the above mentioned regulations can result in fines up to £5,000 and/or six months imprisonment. Fines have been seen to go as high as £20,000 and offences heard in the Crown Court have carried sentences of more than 2 years imprisonment in addition to unlimited financial penalties. So even though PAT testing itself is not legally required, it simply helps you to protect yourself by ensuring that you are complying with these regulations.
