CARE HOMES

                     In residential care homes, etc., all items (with plugs) that are supplied by the care home owner, either for use by the residents or by the staff, need to be tested; personal equipment owned by the residents is not covered by legislation, and is therefore not tested. Typically, bedside lamps, televisions, uplighters, cookers, fridges, kettles, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, etc. need to be tested. Many of these items will be located in the kitchen.

  I always remove the covers of rewireable plugs to check for fuse rating, wire condition, etc. In fact, this is where I find a lot of faults. I carry a supply of new standard three-pin plugs and fuses, all BS/ASTA certified, so if an item of equipment under inspection/test needs either a new plug, the plug rewired or the fuse replaced for it to pass the tests, then this work will be carried out free of charge there and then (most contractors that carry out PAT Testing charge additional for this, up to £4 in fact just to rewire a plug!).

    I do not undertake any other electrical repairs, as I am not legally allowed or insured to do so.

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994

This Act, which came into force on 9 January, 1995 and operates as secondary legislation to the Consumer Protection Act 1987, is mostly concerned with electrical equipment provided by 'suppliers'. All suppliers of electrical goods must ensure that the goods that they supply are safe so that there is no risk to 'people, animals, or property'. Under both of these Acts, landlords and owners of residential care homes, etc. that provide electrical equipment for use by the tenants or residents in the 'course of business', are liable as 'suppliers'. The legislation covers all mains voltage equipment, including washing machines, fridges, cookers, kettles, toasters, electric blankets, etc. (but, under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, does not apply to items attached to 'land', for example, the fixed electrical wiring and built-in appliances such as central heating systems). There are several other important aspects to The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 act which make for interesting reading, in particular the use of the 'CE' safety mark, and the provision of instruction booklets to the tenants or residents. However, these issues are considered out of the scope of PAT Testing, and so are not discussed here.

To summarize: landlords and owners of residential care homes, etc., that provide electrical equipment for use by the tenants or residents as part of the tenancy must, by law, ensure that the equipment is, in simple terms, 'safe, well-maintained and suitable for the purpose for which it is being used' (at all times). It is very important that landlords and residential care home owners have any electrical equipment that they supply periodically PAT Tested, typically on an annual basis. Also note that, in the case of residential care homes, the electrical equipment in use by members of staff, in the kitchen or in an office for example, is further covered by other legislation outlined elsewhere on this page, namely that, by law, electrical equipment used in the workplace must also be, in simple terms, 'safe, well-maintained and suitable for the purpose for which it is being used' (at all times).