PAT testing in Schools
Our Schools PAT testing service covers all educational facilities including nurseries, primary schools, secondary, independent, sixth form, colleges, universities etc. in the North East of England.
PAT testing in Schools
We currently work with over 100 schools across the region, ranging from Nurseries to Secondary schools. Our biggest facility to date has over 10,000 items.
We find that secondary schools, colleges etc are best done during holiday periods, whilst primary schools and nurseries can easily be done term time. For Primary we can have our team start when the caretaker opens up to get the classrooms done before the school day commences reducing disruption to your children and staff.
The importance of PAT testing in schools is relatively obvious – children may not yet know the importance of being careful around electrical equipment.
PAT testing is a necessary part of health and safety compliance in all education settings; with our help the situation can be made much easier.
We’ve been working in the education sector since 2009, and have many schools and nurseries in our client portfolio. We have helped and continue to help many schools maintain safe environments for their pupils to learn in.
PAT testing in a school needs doing regularly to ensure safe electrical equipment is maintained to protect the children using it; equipment in classrooms and other areas used by the students should be checked on an annual basis, but office equipment could be tested less often.
Some schools choose to do their own PAT testing in-house which seems like a cost saving solution but actually the loss of important staff members for long periods often outweighs the cost of a contractor.
For example, an experienced team will PAT test a secondary school with around 2-3000 items inside a week – this may take all of the 6 weeks holidays for the caretaker (most likely even longer); whilst we can do a primary school in a day, but that’ll take the caretaker a week or two. Can you do without his work for this amount of time? Not likely. That’s why you’re better of using us to do your schools’ PAT Testing.
Our PAT Testing Certificate Reports have been satisfying Ofsted inspectors for years so you don’t have to worry about that, and our engineers all hold enhanced DBS certificates.
PAT Testing for Schools
What appliances need PAT testing in school?
Every electrical appliance in your school needs to be checked to make sure it is safe; whether it’s in the IT suite, classroom, lab, or staff room each appliance, the computer, photocopier, kettle and vacuum cleaner all need testing. As do the glue guns, toasters and printers. But you don’t need to worry about that; we’ll do that for you.
Every appliance fitted with a plug, or intended to be powered via a electric socket or spur unit, it needs Pat testing, but what needs what isn’t something for you to worry about, just give us access to your school (ideally in the holidays) and we’ll sort it all for you, then provide you with an itemised PAT Testing Certificate Report, that lists every appliance you have.
When is the best time to PAT test a school?
If you book us to carry out PAT testing in school during the school holidays we will do it for discounted rates; we do lower rates for 2 main reasons:
- the school is empty of pupils and staff making our job a lot easier; we can see everything that needs dong and are unlikely to miss anything
- we believe in sensible pricing – in a school we can still make a good honest income from the job despite charging this lower than average rate
We will also ensure that we set you up on retest periods based on the risk assessment of the premises; in most schools this means that all equipment used by children will need testing on an annual basis, but you can save money by getting office equipment tested less often. We put this in place automatically, and only change it back to annual if you instruct us to. You are of course the client so we do what you require.
We’re approved by multiple councils
We already do PAT testing in schools in Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham and Teesside, so you can be assured that we are also set up on the contractors systems of many councils, and the reports we provide have been proven to satisfy not only the council but Ofsted too.
These schools said great things about our PAT Testing
Collingwood Primary School said…
“Very good all round service, very professional, with minimal disruption. Everything explained by Richard, as to what the company provides. Certificate of work carried out , not just stickers put on appliances. Very competitive prices. Will definitely be using again in the future”
Childsplay Private Nurseries said…
“We use Richard year on year for (all) our nursery schools’ PAT testing, we have never had no problems. Very punctual, does a great job and prices are very reasonable. Would definitely recommend to other schools”.
Bailey Green Primary School said…
“DRA Electricals has completed our PAT testing in school and nursery. They are very professional, organised and reliable. Nothing is a bother for them! You don’t even know they are on site. Such a great company! Thank you for your support. I already have them booked in for next year!”
Testing for Schools
PAT testing reduces the risk of fires in schools
In the past 3 years the fire brigade has been called to almost 2000 school fires across the UK; with faulty electrical equipment and electrics among the leading causes of these school fires. This study was carried out by Zurich Municipal, which found that schools in England are 1.7 times more likely to suffer a fire than other commercial buildings.