It is becoming increasingly common for live music venues such as pubs and clubs to request proof from musicians that their equipment has been competently checked / PAT Tested for electrical safety.

Over the years, Dale has been involved in many bands and has unfortunately witnessed how injuries can occur when using electrical appliances within the music industry. Due to these events, Dale is keen to stress the importance of safety to groups who perform in pubs and clubs and recommends regular testing of their equipment. Items include, but are not limited to amps, lights, sound systems and equalizers.

Dale believes in keeping music live and in particular helping to make sure musicians and the general public are kept safe. His unparalleled drive and enthusiasm to achieve this is demonstrated by a discounted rate for musical groups and others connected to the music industry including stage lighting.

Please do not hesitate to contact us today for your tailored quote.

Telephone: 01673 860655
Mobile: 0777 351 3371

E-mail: enquiries@hallmarquepat.co.uk

Each year over 30 people are killed due to faulty electrics in the UK. These deaths in most part are avoidable and landlords are been urged to carry out regular PAT test on all portable appliances in rented properties and accommodation to make sure the appliances are safe for tenants to use and meet legal requirements.

Government statistics show 20% of fires in UK homes is due to electrical faults and in 2008 resulted in 27 deaths and 1000 injuries. Under UK law a landlord, without a regular pat test of appliances, could be found to have failed to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their tenants. This could lead to the landlord been liable to imprisonment, fines or even their property insurance been invalid.

It is vital a landlord understands their legal obligations when it come to potable appliances and testing in their rented properties. The landlord must make sure that any appliances provided as part of the tenancy agreement are safe.

[Source: landlordexpert.co.uk]

Hallmarque PAT would like to wish everybody a very merry Christmas & a happy new year.

With over 30 people killed each year by faulty electrics in the UK, safety specialists First Stop Safety are urging landlords to carry out regular testing on all portable electrical devices in rented properties to ensure they are safe for tenants and meet all legal requirements.

According to government statistics released last month almost a fifth of all fires in UK homes are caused by electrical faults. In 2008 this resulted in 27 deaths and over 1000 injuries. In addition to the risk of house fires almost 14,000 people are injured each year by electrical appliances according to the latest government estimates.

As the number of portable electrical appliances in furnished rented properties continues to increase, from cookers, to TV’s, to stereos and games consoles, portable appliance testing (PAT) is becoming an increasingly important part of a landlords responsibility to ensure their properties are safe and fit for purpose.

Under UK law without regular PAT tests a landlord could be found to have failed to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their tenants, and leave themselves liable to fines, imprisonment and invalidation of their property insurance.

[Source: residentiallandlord.co.uk]

If you are a landlord, renting accommodation such as houses, flats, holiday homes, caravans, etc, there is a legal requirement to ensure the safety of your tenants. This requirement extends to any electrical equipment that is provided as part of the tenancy which should include operating instructions and safety notices supplied before a letting commences.

The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 states that electrical equipment, provided with the accommodation, must be safe to use. This means that landlords are responsible for the safety of tenants and should regularly maintain any electrical equipment supplied with the accommodation.

It is recommended that the landlord, as a minimum, visually check each appliance for safety prior to the next tenants arrival; frequent checks are encouraged to ensure the safety of all tenants. One of the easiest ways to minimise the risk of injury from a portable electrical appliance is to have these devices PAT tested.
Hallmarque PAT are a friendly family business who offer competent and efficient electrical testing at competitive rates. To discuss your requirements and receive a free quote please call 01673 860655 or e-mail enquiries@hallmarquepat.co.uk.

Electricity can kill. Each year about 1000 accidents at work involving electric shock or burns are reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Around 30 of these are fatal. Most of these fatalities arise from contact with overhead or underground power cables.

Even non-fatal shocks can cause severe and permanent injury. Shocks from faulty equipment may lead to falls from ladders, scaffolds or other work platforms. Those using electricity may not be the only ones at risk: poor electrical installations and faulty electrical appliances can lead to fires which may also cause death or injury to others. Most of these accidents can be avoided by careful planning and straightforward precautions.

What are the Hazards?

The main hazards are:

• contact with live parts causing shock and burns (normal mains voltage, 230 volts AC, can kill);
• faults which could cause fires;
• fire or explosion where electricity could be the source of ignition in a potentially flammable or explosive atmosphere, e.g. in a spray paint booth.

  Read the rest of this entry »

If you are a student living away from home in rented accommodation, you may be required to have your electrical appliances tested in order to allow you to stay at your chosen residence. It is the responsibility of your landlord to ensure that electrical items are safe to use. As such, it is becoming increasingly common for landlords to need proof that all electrical items are safe prior to their use.

For insurance purposes it is highly likely that they may have already tested permanent electrical fixtures within the property however you may be required to do the same for your own appliances.

Hallmarque PAT are a friendly family business who offer competent and efficient electrical testing at competitive rates. To discuss your requirements and receive a free quote please call 01673 860655 or e-mail enquiries@hallmarquepat.co.uk.

Visual inspection of electrical appliances should only be carried out by a person who is competent to do so. Any completed visual inspection of portable appliances undertaken should be documented.

A visual inspection of portable electrical equipment may sound simple however there are a considerable number of aspects to consider.

 
Suitability of the equipment and its environment
 

The equipment that is being testing should be suitable for the environment in which it is used or the nature of the work being undertaken. If the equipment is in a particularly hazardous environment this will more than likely affect the frequency of future PAT inspections due to the increased possibility of damage.

 
Maintenance of equipment
 

To ensure that an electrical appliance is safe to use, below is a list of a few recommended checks.

• Any cabling should be situated as to avoid damage such as cuts
• The source of power for the appliance should be easily accessible
• There should be adequate ventilation for the equipment
• Any liquids / fluids should be situated appropriately as to avoid spillage
• The cord of the appliance should not come under strain
•  Multi-way adaptors and trailing sockets should not be overloaded
• No unprotected cables should be run under carpets

To make certain that a portable appliance is being used and maintained correctly, at a minimum; it is recommended that the user should review and follow instructions provided by the manufacturer.

While some items only require a visual check, where possible, Hallmarque PAT endeavour to check appliances both visually and practically. By running physical tests on the equipment this helps to reduce the risk to the user by highlighting any non visible faults. Electrical appliance testing is an important part of health and safety, helping to ensure that your employees, students, residents or customers are kept safe.

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, PUWER, states that every employer shall ensure that work equipment, is suitable for the purpose in which it is used. It is also the responsibility of the employer to ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 identifies that both employers and employees have a responsibility with regards to electrical safety. It is the duty of the employer or self-employed person to comply with the provisions of these Regulations in so far as they relate to matters which are within his control.

It shall be the duty of every employee while at work-

 (a) to co-operate with his employer so far as is necessary to enable any duty placed on that employer by the provisions of these Regulations to be complied with; and

 (b) to comply with the provisions of these Regulations in so far as they relate to matters which are within his control.

As an employer, one of the easiest ways to ensure portable appliances within the work place are safe to use is to have them PAT tested.

Hallmarque PAT use sophisticated PAT instruments and as such it is important to make sure that these continually measure / test correctly. Hallmarque PAT follows the recommended guidelines, annual calibration, at a minimum and has the respective equipment calibrated by a third party. When a PAT Tester is calibrated it is re-configured to match the original specification.