Archive for the ‘PAT Test Articles’ Category

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Displaying Potential Dangers with Plug top PAT Test Labels

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

In the United Kingdom, PAT tests play a crucial role in the prevention of possible hazards in personal, commercial and industrial environments where electrical appliances are utilized on a daily basis. For someone who doesn’t understand what a PAT test is, it stands for Portable Appliance Test, and basically it is utilized to ensure whether an electrical appliance is safe for its users or servicemen to use, and depending on what the results of the PAT test, it can indicate to its potential user the level of possible risk involved in the use or test of it. PAT test labels are used to display the results of the PAT test, and also are used to display several other types of important information, such as who did the test, when the test was done, and even the next time that the Portable Appliance Test should be used.

There are many different types of PAT test labels, and some come in stickers and ones that can even be wrapped around the cord. Plug top PAT test labels are a very convenient and important part of harm prevention, and play a very specific role for certain types of appliances.

Plug top PAT test labels are like most other PAT test labels, in the way that they display the very important information that is associated with the completion of PAT tests, but they have a very specific and different application than other different types of PAT test labels. Plug top PAT test labels are pretty self explanatory, as they are made to fit on any sort of plug top found on a variety of electrical appliances, and usually can be created to fit on plug tops that may be a bit untraditional or of a different size or shape than found on most typical appliances.

The types of information found on Plug top PAT test labels is the same important information that is found on other PAT testing labels and stickers. Information regarding the safety of the appliance’s use is the information with the most importance and priority, as it’s the information that is most important when people interact and utilize electrical appliances. This sort of information comes in three different forms, and with the help of these test labels can be displayed on the top of appliance plugs. The PAT test can have a result of either ‘Passed’, ‘Tested for Electrical Safety’, and ‘DO NOT USE’.

It’s important to be able to know whether an appliance is safe to use, and with the use of a PAT test and Plug top PAT test labels its easy to be able to look at the plug and discern if the electrical appliance is safe to use, if its not safe to use and could possible cause harm, and even information regarding whether the appliance is overdue for a servicing. Despite the many different PAT test labels and stickers available, these labels that fit perfectly on the top of the electrical plug are an easy indicator and eye-catching tool to prevent danger before an appliance is even plugged in or unplugged.

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PAT Test Labels Make Appliance Users Aware of Potential Risks

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Health and safety regulators in the United Kingdom require that electrical appliances be tested on specific intervals depending on how dangerous the appliance could be to both people who use the appliance and workers who may have to test the appliance. The Portable Appliance Test, or simply PAT test, is a simple test that is performed on several parts of an appliance to ensure that all parts are in good working order and do not have the potential to cause its users any harm. And if any possible harm could result from these electrical appliances, PAT testing ensures that a label is affixed to warn its potential users. These labels, named PAT test labels, are attached to the appliances in a number of ways and act as a way of communicating the results of a PAT test.

PAT test labels come in a variety of shapes, sizes, usages, and colors all depending on the tester and what sort of electrical appliance is being tested. Some test labels are simply stickers and meant to be adhered to the surface of the appliance, while others are meant to be wrapped around the cord of the appliance, which is sometimes more durable and easy to see. Cable wrap PAT test labels are sometimes even necessary, as for smaller appliances there may not be enough room on the actual surface of the device to stick a standard PAT test labels. There are also some varieties of labels that fit over the plug, which works well with specific types of appliances. For some specific kinds of appliance tests, such as the microwave emissions test, the emissions of the microwave is measured and the interlock is tested to make sure the users of this very common appliance are safe.

No matter what sorts of colors, forms, shapes or sizes the PAT test labels come in, they all have the same basic function: to ensure the safety of both users and testers of that electrical appliance. And the primary way that these test labels ensure safety is by displaying the results of the required portable appliance test. And not only do these labels contain information regarding whether the appliance ‘Passed’, was ‘Tested for Electrical Safety’, or shouldn’t be used, in the case of a ‘DO NOT USE’ designation, there is much more information that must be noted. The date that the test was performed on, the date the next test should take place and information regarding the test itself is all contained on the surface of the test label.

PAT test labels are a very important part of safety when it comes to the use of electrical appliances in the United Kingdom. By displaying the results of the required PAT test, or Portable Appliance Test, potential users of an appliance as well as people who may be testing the appliance can be made well aware of how safe it is to use the appliance, and even when the next time it needs to be tested.

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PAT testing labels: A torch in an Otherwise Dark Cave

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

PAT testing labels play a very important part in the display of potential hazards associated with the use of electrical appliances in the United Kingdom. PAT tests themselves are tests performed by certified technicians which gauge the safety of electrical appliances in people’s homes. The word stands for Portable Appliance Testing, and it is more correctly and completely known as “in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment”. Without the display of the status of an appliances safety, technicians and people employed to work on appliances would be subject to a greater risk as they would essentially be walking into an unknown danger.

The primary way for a potential danger to be marked on appliances is through the application of PAT testing labels. After a technician, or even someone who simply knows how to test appliances with a general understanding of common safety, tests an appliance at someone’s home, a commercial setting, place of industry or anywhere else, they apply one of these strips. The strips serve as labels, and will say one of three things: ‘Passed’, ‘Tested for Electrical Safety’, or ‘DO NOT USE’. It’s easy to see from these three simple labels how important it would be to label a machine that is could be dangerous with a ‘DO NOT USE’ label, and how it would be also important to know and useful to anyone who is operating the equipment to have the knowledge that the machine was tested for electrical safety, or even that it has passed and is safe to use.

PAT testing labels look like simple stickers that you can place on a tested machine, and oftentimes the information contained on the front includes such information as the appliance I.D., a place to put the name of who inspected it, the date that the test took place, a place to put the date of when the appliance should be tested next, and of coarse a place to designate the level of safety that has been established by the test.

Oftentimes, and in recent years, companies have started to offer customizable PAT testing labels. Strips such as these can be offered in color coded forms, have different names on them, or the layout of the strip itself can be changed, but one thing is the most important: that all the crucial information is included and readily visible to people who may find the information extremely important in the work that they do.

PAT testing labels are without a doubt a very crucial part to both the safety of employees who need to test or work on electrical appliances, and the owners of the appliances who need to know whether it’s safe to use the equipment, and even if the equipment is usable in the first place. Without these important yet oftentimes overlooked pieces of hazard prevention, there would most likely be many more accidents in terms of public safety and harm to employees, so luckily with a little help from these labels light can be shed in an otherwise dark area.

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Plug Top Labels and Microwave Emission Labels

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

There is a definite need for a system of safety inspection in the home and the workplace, especially as it applies to the use of electrical devices. The potential of fire and other related hazards is proportionately increased by the number and complexity of electrical components and manufacturing equipment put into place in any home environment or industry process.

The abundance of electrical devices and tools that are present today, and the variations of design within those devices, require a greater vigilance to their ability to handle electricity, especially at the loads that many sophisticated objects operate with. While the implementation of guidelines beginning in the 1960’s has provided a much more controllable environment for safety inspecting and reporting, the need for increased innovation in how this is accomplished has brought about more efficient and user-friendly methods.

Visual inspection labels, such as plug top labels and microwave emission labels, allow for an efficient and reliable inspection and reporting method to protect those who must come into contact with various tools and testing equipment, including the common microwave ovens found in so many homes today.

The introduction of the portable appliance testing system, otherwise known as PAT, instituted a much more reliable way to maintain a close watch on tools and devices that proliferate most industrial undertakings these days. Hand-held and plug-in portable electrical implements are in greater use today than ever before, thus demanding that safety precautions keep up with the increased usage of these types of devices.
Plug top labels, due to their diminutive size and shape, can be placed on plug ends and adaptors as well as other electrical wiring which must necessarily access high voltages and amperages. The danger in handling a worn or faulty plug in such close proximity to lethal amounts of electricity is enormous. A plug top label, when affixed to a device plug, will provide valuable information to the user as to the status of the plug, the agency or department and the inspector who has rendered judgment, and the date of the inspection as well as the date of the next required inspection.

Microwave emission labels are equally important in the safe use of microwave devices. Microwaves and radio frequencies are as potentially dangerous as electricity due to their invisible nature and the radiation levels that can be attained by using them. The information provided on microwave emission labels is invaluable in ensuring the acceptable performance of the device. Microwave emission labels are a requirement not only for new microwave products but on those that are re-conditioned for second hand sale.

The modern plug top labels and microwave emission labels are made of durable
materials, such as fabrics or plastics that offer a strong resilience to those factors which used to make hand-written labeling so unreliable. Lamination and adherent display pockets contribute to the longevity of readable information on these types of labels, which is so crucial to their purpose.

The innovations in safety labeling have brought about a much-needed approach to maintaining a safe environment, not only in the workplace but in the home as well.

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The Various Uses of Visual Inspection Labels

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

The maintenance of a regular inspection schedule is vital in so many different areas of industry. Visual inspection labels allow for the immediate assessment of conditions which are necessary to monitor for their current and continued safety.

The more common types of visual inspection labels can be found on electrical devices. These portable appliance test labels, or PAT labels, reveal the status of a device as to its safe usage as well as the identification number and the dates of the current inspection along with the next recommended inspection. PAT labels come in a variety of sizes and materials which allows for a greater freedom of application to the various components of an electrical device, including circuit boards and wire bundles.

Of course, other industries are required to present the safety status of their particular wares and devices. The construction industry, the food manufacture and distribution industry, and the various scientific and medical industries make use of visual inspection labels as well. Safety hazards, health concerns, and biohazards related to science and medicine demand that the products and instruments of manufacture, distribution, and disposal involved in these industries display their safety standing and any potential hazard they may present to the public and the environment.

In the past, visual inspection labels amounted to a primitive label made of paper that would be affixed to the surface of a device or product with wire or adhesive. These labels were most often filled in by hand and tended to be a bit unreliable and susceptible to deterioration.

The advances in scanning technologies have widened the scope of application in reading labels and the attainment of historical data pertaining to devices and products. The introduction of barcodes and the systems that read them has presented the possibility of a much more rapid download and assessment of the nature of a particular device or object, thereby allowing a more reliable and accessible system of inspection and reporting.

The textile industry is just one of many that have integrated the use of visual inspection labels into their manufacturing and quality control operations. Rather than inspecting fabrics for flaws at the point of purchase or as they are used in a manufacturing process, high-speed scanning equipment can instead scan an affixed visual inspection label to ascertain the status and history of the textile as it moves through the various levels of preparation for its eventual sale.

The automobile manufacturers have certainly availed themselves of the advancements in quality control and safety. While the old inspection label would have hand-written signatures and status information as an automobile received its various components on its way down the production line, today’s robotic and
hand-held scanning systems can peruse a visual inspection label that has been barcoded, allowing for a more rapid and precise process of manufacture and quality control.

The innovations and advancements that have been made in the area of safety inspections and manufacturing processes have contributed to not only a less hazardous workplace, but a more efficient and reliable system of providing products and services which promise a productive and competitive work environment for the future.

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The Application of Pass Labels and Failed Labels

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

The inspection and reporting of the safety status of electrical devices in the workplace is vitally important in maintaining a safe environment. The introduction of the system known as portable appliance testing, or PAT, in the 1960’s addresses this issue.

This testing system employs the usage of labeling that is applied directly to the various wiring and electric circuitry found within so many of the machines and devices used in industry today. The pass labels and failed labels that are found throughout a factory or other manufacturing facility are the only deterrent to fires and other hazards which can have such a calamitous effect on safe operations in the work environment.
Pass labels and failed labels, along with the more generic “Tested for Electrical Safety” labels, provide not only a visual warning system that can be immediately assessed at a glance, but also provide a history of inspection and updates in the operation of electrical devices and machinery. The use of scanner technology that employs barcodes to indicate the safety status and the maintenance history of a particular device provide an even greater ability to prevent electrical fires and other hazards.

The inspectors who conduct these routine examinations of electric appliances and machines are of course trained and experienced in understanding power distribution through various systems. The abundance of electrically powered portable devices used in industry today ranges from hand-held tools and various communication devices to complex testing equipment. All of these contain wiring and circuitry that can initiate potentially catastrophic circumstances if they were to short-circuit in some way.

The employment of pass labels and failed labels seems simple enough. If a device does not pass
muster, it will be shown to have failed and needing repair or replacement before it can be placed back into operation. If a device receives a passing mark, then it can be relied upon to continue safe operation for the allotted period of time between inspections. This time frame is either 3 months or 6 months, depending on the frequency of usage and its possible affect on the environment in which it is used.

Labeling has evolved over the years from a simple paper label which carried hand-written information as to the identity of the inspector and the status of the device. Due to the potential loss of information on this type of label from normal wear and tear, a more durable label template was required.

The modern pass labels and failed labels are of much more durable materials, like plastic and innovative fabric meshes, which can withstand a great deal of handling and environmental impact, such as moisture and dust. These labels are often laminated to further ensure their reliability and extended readability. These improvements allow the inspectors to apply labels to a greater range of internal and external areas of electrical devices, thereby increasing the coverage of their safety inspection.

The application of pass labels and failed labels has always been a crucial aspect in maintaining a safe and hazard-free working environment. The innovations of new materials and scanning systems has also greatly increased the ability of electrical system inspectors to ensure a continued record of safe operations in today’s workplace.

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PAT Testing Stickers

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Since the recognized need began for electrical safety as it pertains to the prevention of fires and hazards associated with faulty wiring and circuit breakdowns, a system of inspection and labeling has been adopted that addresses this need.

Before the advent of a proper system of inspection and reporting in the 1960’s, the practice of safety inspecting was often nothing more than a visual look at wiring involved with electric motors and other devices, sometimes on a regular schedule and sometimes on a random basis.

The increase in widespread usage of electric devices in daily human activity as well as in industrial applications has made it more important than ever to be able to regularly inspect and report on the safety status of electrical systems. The prevention of fires and electrical hazards increases proportionately with this increased use of portable devices.

The current system of electrical safety inspection began in the 60’s and was further expanded with the passage of the Health and Safety at Work Act in 1974, and then again when the Electricity at Work Act was passed in 1990. This system, known as portable appliance testing or PAT, includes a regular routine of inspection and assessment as to the integrity of wiring and circuitry within plug-in and hand-held portable devices.

PAT testing stickers are the vanguard of electrical safety protection in the workplace. Although devices in the home are safety-tested before being introduced to the marketplace for sale, the risk of fires and other related hazards from electric device failures is much greater in manufacturing and industrial environments.
The use of PAT testing stickers provides an immediate visual status report on the viability of portable devices and their internal and external wiring circuits and operation. One can instantly assess whether a device is safe to use or if it has been found to be questionable or even non-usable.

The information that PAT testing stickers provides includes not only the current status of the device vis-à-vis its safe operation, but the history of inspection of the particular electric appliance and which agency or department conducted the inspection as well.

Three categories of safety levels are disclosed by PAT testing stickers: “Tested for Safety”, “Passed”, or “Do Not Use After”. These stickers are attached to the various accessible parts of an electric appliance that require routine inspection, such as wire bundles and power supplies. In this way, a careful and ever-vigilant eye can be kept on those devices which would cause a hazard to the workplace
environment if they develop an electrical problem.

A regular and rigorous system of inspection and reporting on portable electric devices is one of the most important safety regimens that responsible companies and industrial entities can adopt to ensure the continued hazard-free operation of their facilities.

This is why PAT testing stickers are so fundamentally vital to not only detect potential safety problems from electrical malfunction, but to provide a history of reporting that can be of such great assistance in the determination of the status of safe operation of electrical devices so abundant in the workplace today.

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The Need for Barcodes and Cable Wraps on Electric Devices

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

The safe operation of an electric device of any kind depends to a great extent on a regular and thorough routine of maintenance and inspection. This applies to the entire gamut of electrically powered devices, from hand-held tools and components for communications to industrial machinery and satellite systems.
Maintaining a device’s ability to continue operation at an acceptable level of safety is a massive undertaking, considering the varied and complicated systems of wiring and circuit routing that can be found in even the simplest of electrical devices.

Today’s world is a veritable matrix of electrical systems. The number of electrical devices found just in the home is staggering, and the continued operation of nearly every aspect of human life today is completely dependent upon the safe use of electricity.

One of the important aspects of maintaining safe electric usage is in the management of the wiring and circuits. This can apply to small wire bundles found inside a computer hard drive or to massive enclosed wiring cables that connect industrial machinery to their source of power. This is why cable wraps are vital in preventing the short-circuiting which will happen when wires touch.

These cable wraps come in a wide variety of forms for the many application requirements within the various electrical systems. The most basic form of cable wraps is a simple tie wrap, as one might use in the home by using a piece of coated wire or length of tape to sort out a mess of wires around the PC, which by the way has its own circuits wrapped inside.

Yet the variety of applications of cable wraps will be found inside devices, around the wiring that routes the power to and from devices, and around huge cabling systems that transfer massive amounts of electricity within municipal power grids. These cable wrapping systems can range from simple Velcro tie wraps to insulation sleeves which can run several miles in length.

The use of barcodes in the area of electrical safety and operation has come to be more common, due to the deluge in recent years of personal communication devices and computing systems that can be found everywhere.

The barcodes are helpful, of course, to identify an individual device as anyone who has shopped in a food market knows quite well. Yet the application of barcodes as an aid to electrical safety is just as important. The immediate identification of an electrical device can include not only serial numbers and manufacturer information, but its history of inspection and safety ratings as well.

As has been stated before, the vast usage of electricity and its importance in the
powering of the machinery of the modern world most certainly mandates the constant and unrelenting vigilance of highly-qualified electrical inspectors.

The systems which everyone depends on for lighting, communication, food delivery, labour, and nearly every other function of life have become highly complex. Consequently, the approach to their continued levels of safe usage must keep up with this complexity by improvements in power management and circuit systems maintenance.

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Usage of PAT Labels and PAT Test Labels in the Workplace

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

The requirement for the portable appliance test, otherwise known as PAT, began in the United Kingdom as early as the 1960’s within governmental offices and buildings. Although it was not mandated as a regulation then, it was seen as more of a responsible step to take to protect against fires and other hazards that might be caused by faulty electrical appliances.

The inspection and testing of these types of electrical devices originally fell to the Ministry of Public Works up until 1970, when this responsibility came unto the Department of Environment Services and Property Agency until the year 2000. Today, the Qualifications and Curriculum Agency oversees this service.
This testing and inspection of hand-held, plug-in, or other portable electric appliances has naturally become more necessary with the increased appearance and usage of such types of devices, not only in government facilities but in the general public as well. Depending on the potential risk of the device, the PAT is conducted in either 3 month or 6 month intervals.

When the inspection and testing is completed on a device, a PAT label is applied to indicate the passing or failure of the electrical operation of the device. PAT labels, or PAT test labels, provide an instant status report on the safety level of any device.

PAT labels will appear on a portable electric device in one of three forms. PAT test labels will read as “Passed”, “Tested for Electrical Safety”, or “Do Not Use After”, which will then give the last day of safe usage of the device. Information on PAT test labels will also include the name and ID number of the inspector, as well as his agency or department.

PAT labels were initiated as a response to concerns of fire and related hazards which would provide a modicum of inspection and reporting capability as to the safety of a device and the environment it was used in. PAT test labels actually predate the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974, as well as the Electricity at Work Act of 1990. These legislative actions were taken as accidents and concerns about safety in the workplace increased proportionately.

The current system of testing, more formally known as In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, falls under the jurisdiction of the QCA with the voluntary but necessary participation of the Guilds and the City. The usage of PAT labels and PAT test labels is taken quite seriously, and any failure to apply or update PAT labels or PAT test labels can cause grave consequences for the responsible agency or department, especially if an accidental electrical fire should occur due to faulty operation of a device.
Therefore, the usage of PAT labels is a common practice of routine portable
electric device inspection. Considering the reason for PAT test labels, they should be seen as valuable safeguards against calamity in the workplace and should be taken quite seriously as well. Heeding such warning labels could actually save lives and property in the future.

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Putting The Finishing Touches On Safety Tests With PAT Testing Stickers

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

In the course of doing business a company routinely uses a number of different electronic devices and portable appliances. The safety and efficiency of these machines is vital to the health of the employees and the company alike. UK law mandates that specific and regular testing be done to show that machines are working within normal limits to reduce the risk of liability and injury. There are a number of testing devices that are using during the testing process. At the end of each test, labels known as PAT testing stickers are placed on the machine that was tested. The point of the PAT testing labels is to let people know the particular safety rating of the appliances within a workplace environment and to ensure that they are safe enough to use.

There are a number of different types of information on PAT testing labels. All of that information is presented to give an accurate description of the safety of that equipment. The labels will hold specific information such as the name of the company where the piece of equipment is located along with the name of the inspector that is applying the test. The machine’s serial number along with the current test date will also be clearly labeled on the PAT testing stickers. The date of the next scheduled test will also be prominently marked.

PAT tests are not overwhelmingly complicated but they do require certain tools that can read the safety levels of the portable appliances and machines that are being tested. After hooking the appliance to the testing device the test will record certain types of information in regards to the performance of the machine. The machine will then get a grade of pass or fail. Passing results indicate green PAT testing stickers and failing results indicate the machine will be affixed with red PAT testing labels. However, there are times that further testing may be required so that additional questions can be answered. In those circumstances the use of blue PAT testing stickers will be used. Blue stickers indicate that while the machine is currently operating within normal parameters it should be closely monitored to help prevent any future mishaps. Although the testing process is a bit more involved than just a simple pass or fail, it can be well worth it to offset any liability that may occur due to machine malfunction.

It is very important to conduct PAT testing at regularly scheduled intervals as set forth by government regulations. Quite simply, it helps to ensure the reliability and safety of the machines so that workers are not injured by malfunctions or other types of errors that can occur in electronic appliances. Using PAT testing stickers will help to reassure your employees and the government that safety is an important aspect of how you run your business. The ease and reliability of PAT testing labels can help you in the long run, as it assures everyone involved in the business that you are concerned about safety. It can also prevent you from using machines that are a liability to your business.

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PAT Testing Labels ensure that a machine has been tested and the results can be clearly seen by all that use it. PAT Label can assist your company with all its PAT Testing Stickers needs.

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