PAT Testing in Newcastle Upon Tyne and across the North East
We can help you comply with Electrical Safety Regulations
Welcome to our site – we are DRA PAT Testing Ltd, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, founded in 2009. We cover all of Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and Durham. We can test all types of electrical equipment, and any numbers whether you have 1 item or thousands. Normally we come to you to test equipment in-situ but if you only have a few items you could bring them to our office. We are the biggest independent PAT testing company in the North East, with more 5-star Google reviews than any UK PAT Testing provider.
Regular PAT Testing helps to prevent accidents and fires.
In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (ISITEE)
D.R.A. PAT Testing engineers are specialists in the inspection and testing of portable electrical equipment (PAT Testing). PAT testing is carried out on electrical equipment that connects to the mains via a plug and socket. However, we also have the capability to test other types of electrical equipment, be they industrial, 3-phase, 110v, fixed to the mains, etc.
In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (ISITEE) covers all types of electrical equipment from computers to kitchen appliances to power tools and so on, whether fitted with a plug or hard wired.
When you need a company to carry out PAT testing for you, get in touch with us – the North East’s Premier PAT Testing company.
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PAT testing and EICR in Newcastle Upon Tyne
We are able to bring to our clients the full range of electrical testing services, meaning you need to only choose one company who can service all your needs. We are able to manage not only your PAT testing, but also your fixed appliance testing, fixed wiring inspections (EICR) and Emergency Lighting Inspections.
This is a huge benefit to our clients who make the most of this opportunity, as it saves them having to work with more than one company, that’s only one supplier, one phone number, one person to email and personalised pricing.
So if you are looking for just one supplier for all your electrical testing needs get in touch with us, for PAT Testing and EICR in Newcastle upon Tyne, and throughout the North East of England.
Electrical Equipment Testing Services for your Workplace
» We supply every client with fully compliant PAT Testing Certificate Reports, including electrical test readings giving you peace of mind that you comply with your legal obligations.
» We provide on site guidance to ensure retest periods meet your workplace’s fire risk assessments, with reminders for retests so you never forget to maintain safe equipment.
» We will carry out remedial repairs automatically and free of charge, including the supply and fit of replacement BS1363 plugs and fuses, recorded on the report, so you meet preventative maintenance requirements.
» We provide further guidance on how to improve or implement safety measures that relate to your workplace, based on what our engineers have seen, reducing the risk of electrical accidents.
» When server systems can’t be turned off, we can run a Thermal Image Surveys to check for any overheating components.
» Every item tested gets a new ID number, unique in our database so there is always a ‘paper trail’; the number connects the label on the appliance to the report provided.
» All our engineers are rigorously trained to our high standards with regular quality checks, qualified and competent, hold enhanced DBS, security checked and fully insured.
» We have the ability and skills to test fixed appliances (FAT) that have been hard wired, inspect the mains wiring of your building (EICR), test for microwave emissions leakage in commercial kitchens and test 3phase/400v equipment in industrial environments.
What is PAT Testing and why you need it
As a business owner, manager, responsible duty holder etc. you must do certain things to meet workplace Health and Safety requirements. In regards to the electrical systems in your building you need to ensure they are always as safe as they can be and meet the latest guidance and regulations.
This includes doing regular inspections and testing to check the systems are safe, including on the mains wiring installation and equipment plugged into it.
We can manage both of these for you – for the mains wiring you need to do regular Electrical Installation Condition inspections, which checks all the wiring, from which you get a report, referred to as an EICR. For more information see our page on fixed wiring inspections here.
For the equipment plugged into the mains, or hard wired to it, we carry out In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (ISITEE), commonly called Electrical Equipment Testing. In reference to appliances with plugs, we call this PAT testing, or Portable Appliance Testing. For equipment that has been hard wired, we call this Fixed Appliance Testing, but both services fall under the scope of Electrical Equipment Testing.
If you maintain safe electrical equipment through regular PAT, or FAT then you will be complying with UK workplace safety regulations including the Electricity at Work Act, Health and Safety at Work Act, etc.
In the UK, if you run any kind of business / workplace, you are required by law to make sure your equipment is safe. How you do this, and how often is up to you (your fire risk assessment) but don’t skip it. The best way to do this is PAT testing.
If your PAT Testing is kept up to date then you are going to be complying with the likes of ISO, CQC, Ofsted, local authorities, HMO Landlords Licenses, CHAS, etc.
Electrical Equipment Testing Services we provide
We aim to help you as best we can so you can get everything you need tested by one company. We specialise in the inspection and testing of electrical equipment, encompassing equipment fitted with a plug, and that has been hard wired, ensuring we are able to do every part that you need whether your facility is domestic, commercial or industrial.
We are also able to provide mains wiring installation inspections including EICRs and Emergency Lighting Testing.
Portable Appliance Testing
PAT is carried out on appliances fitted with a plug, this includes all electrical equipment / appliances in use.
We can check all types of appliances with a plug from standard BS1363 equipment to industrial items with ‘cform’ commando plugs up to 400v / 3Phase. More info.
Thermal Image Surveys
Sometimes equipment can’t be turned off, such as server systems. When this happens we check for danger using thermal imagery.
A thermal survey using a thermal camera will check all components to make sure there are no ‘hot spots’. When done alongside a PAT test, there is no extra charge for this service. More info.
Fixed Appliance Testing
FAT is carried out on appliances where the plug has been removed and the item has been hard wired to the mains.
We will inspect the appliance, and carry out a Point to Point earth continuity test as standard, alongside the PAT test of other equipment. More info
PAT Test Certificate – How you can get a PAT Testing Certificate
It couldn’t be easier to get your hands on your very own PAT Test Certificate, that you can save in your Health and Safety compliance file, so it’s there when you need it.
You can get out your PAT Testing Certificate when the fire office calls, or when your insurer needs it, or when there is risk assessment carried out, or when you get inspected by a regulatory body – your certificate is essential, and will benefit your business immensely.
And to make it even better, unlike our cheaper competitors, we don’t dangle a super cheap price then provide you with a wasteful hand-written sheet that provides only the basic information; when you work with us we give a first class service all the time, and everybody gets a Certificate report that includes everything you need, first time. Our certificates have been used in compliance cases and stand up every time. We include electrical test results on every report – it may surprise you to know, that many PAT Testing companies do not.
So to arrange your PAT Certificate simply book us to come to your workplace to inspect and test your electrical equipment, after which we’ll be able to issue you with your very own PAT Test Certificate. We send these out as a PDF attached to email, so you can save it in your online storage, thus saving paper too.
About our PAT Testing Service – we cover all sectors
We work across all industries, from people working from home right through to heavy industry. Most of our work centres around small and local businesses but we also do public sector work for the Police, NHS etc.
We work with many call centres, large offices, doctors surgeries’, we help local businesses in their Cafe‘s, salons and shops, we work with international hotel chains, for Northumberland caravan parks, in factories, on building sites, in property for landlords, and are the chosen supplier for loads of schools. Whatever your business does, whatever electrical equipment you use, we can help.
We carry out repairs to plugs, fuses and flexible cable for free; we replace ’13a’ plugs and fuses (3 to 13a) free too, and we check Microwave ovens for emissions leakage.
On completion of the job, our engineer will talk you through the job they have done, explain any repairs or faults found and discuss risk based retest periods with you so we can put in place a plan for when we come back to check your appliances again.
We’ll provide you with an itemised PAT Testing Certificate Report, guidance on retest periods and reminders when retests are due – helping you stay compliant at all times.
We also can test fixed appliances and do Electrical Installation Certificate Reports so you don’t need to work with 3 different providers, saving you time, money and hassle!
Outsourcing PAT testing saves you money and allows you to focus on your core business activities while ensuring compliance with electrical safety regulations.
PAT Testing Frequently Asked Questions
PAT Testing, aka Portable appliance testing is the term we use to describe a safety check carried out on electrical equipment to make sure they are safe to use. As part of this inspection we carry out a visual examination, done by a competent engineer, who will find most defects, and repair them. When we are satisfied the appliance is safe we will carry out appropriate electrical tests to check the internal wiring etc.
PAT testing should not be confused with electrical equipment testing; they are not the same. PAT or Portable Appliance Testing is only for electrical equipment fitted with a plug.
PAT testing is a formal visual inspection and electrical testing by a competent person at appropriate intervals, dependent upon the type of equipment and the environment in which it is used, to maintain safety standards.
Electrical Equipment Testing is often confused as the new name for PAT testing; it’s shocking how many companies have got this wrong. Electrical equipment testing hasn’t replaced PAT Testing; it’s always been there.
When we talk about electrical equipment, we are referring to all types of electrical equipment, whether fitted with a plug or not, and electrical equipment testing is the overview term for all inspection types that are used to ‘test’ these items to make sure they are safe. This includes PAT or Portable Appliance Testing; used to check appliances with plugs are safe, and FAT or Fixed Appliance Testing – FAT is carried out on appliances that are hard wired into the main wiring installation of a building.
A portable appliance is an item that can be moved and unplugged from the mains power supply. A portable appliance includes computers, power tools, hair driers, kettles, washing machines, welding sets etc.
The PAT Testing Certificate Report we issue includes everything you need to support you should you ever find yourself under investigation.
Most providers do not supply you with electrical test results – without them, the report would not be accepted in a legal dispute.
Our reports clearly show the ID number (which matches the label), the appliance description, the location of it, the test engineers name, the tests carried out and results obtained.
Our reports further include all repairs carried out – hardly any of peers provide this, but it is essential to you as a maintenance log.
If you change address you will need to get a new PAT Testing Certificate, as your current one will be invalid with the incorrect address.
You will need to arrange for a new inspection to be carried out of your equipment, in case anything has been damaged in transit too.
We issue PAT testing Certificate Reports within 5 days of the job being done for existing clients; or within 2 days of the payment being received for new clients.
If you need the certificate the same day, this can be arranged.
How often you need to get PAT testing done depends on numerous factors, including:
- Your own risk assessment – a risk assessment will help you determine what needs to be done to maintain safe equipment
- A fire prevention risk assessment – will assess what needs doing to prevent fires occurring
- The use of the electrical equipment and who uses it
- The working environment in which the electrical equipment is used
- The type of equipment
- What your insurance stipulates – insurance small print assumes you are meeting your Health and Safety obligations
- The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that any electrical equipment that has the potential to cause injury is maintained in a safe condition. Regulations don’t state how often this needs done, or what needs doing; nor do the HSE – because they don’t want to risk being sued!
Most companies assume an annual PAT testing frequency because it is considered to be best practice.