Posts Tagged ‘PAT testing’

Barcodes Supply a Complete History with PAT Tests

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Portable Appliance Testing, or simply known as PAT testing, is a very important test required by the British government requiring tests to be performed that measure the safety of electrical appliances. Some appliances, such as the microwave, must be tested to ensure that there are no harmful emissions being released that could be passed onto its users or technicians. Other appliances, such as hand-drills must be tested to ensure they can be used without the user being electrocuted or otherwise harmed with its use. The history of these tests, as they are typically required every few months for more dangerous appliances, and sometimes annually for lesser dangerous appliances, must be kept as to allow technicians to know the result of tests performed in the task.

Utilizing new technology that’s been implicated everywhere from warehouses to retail stores, the use of barcodes on PAT testing labels is becoming a very popular and crucial part PAT testing. By allowing the entire history of an appliance’s testing results to be stored in a barcode, the people who have to test the appliances have all the information they need to make important decisions regarding the appliances safety and what sort of result they should apply.

There is a lot of potential and benefit in the use of barcodes as means of storing important data collected by Portable Appliance Testing. Instead of having to write down information and the history of the tests, technicians can now input the data directly to a wireless database and with a simple scan of a scanning device, information can be instantly accessed and evaluated on the spot wherever the technician may be. This use of digital data can cut down on a lot of writing and note taking for workers, and can eliminate any problems that could arise with the inability to read certain handwritings.

The obvious benefit and advantage of the use of barcodes with PAT testing can be easily noticed with compared with the system that does not use any bar codes on the labels. Traditionally, when a PAT test is performed, only the most recent information can be jotted down on the label, which severely restricts what sorts of information one can put on the label, as the tester is limited to the size of the label. However, with the use of barcodes on PAT testing labels, essentially an unlimited amount of information can be accessed on even the smallest of labels. This has the ability to the job itself that much more safe and easy to perform by testers, as a complete list and source of the valuable data required to make decisions regarding an appliances safety can be made with all information in mind.

It seems as time goes on, the obvious superiority of barcode use with PAT testing will become apparent and most PAT labels will move towards their usage. For testers who require, or simply feel safer knowing all of the information regarding an appliance as they service it, this mode of information display is a must.

Microwave Emission Labels Provide Comfort of Mind

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Microwaves can be found almost anywhere people and employees are found. If not working properly, microwaves can emit harmful radiation that can be quite dangerous for anyone using or working near the microwaves, so it’s important to test them. By the use if microwave emission labels, its easy to tell the safety of whatever microwave is being used, and it can even indicate when the next time its servicing is due, thus creating an environment to foster the utmost safety and confidence in use. Applied to other potentially hazardous electrical appliances, these simple to read emission labels display all of the information necessary for safe use specific to microwaves.

PAT testing is a crucial and oftentimes mandatory set of testing procedures utilized in the United Kingdom to ensure the usability and safety surrounding the use of electrical appliances in a variety of residential, commercial, and industrial settings. PAT testing stands for Portable Appliance Testing, and by using PAT test labels, they affectively and efficiently express information regarding if a person should use that appliance, or the next time it should be used. Microwave emissions testing tests the amount of emissions a microwave emits, and the results of such a test are displayed using microwave emission labels.

A specific test unique to microwaves is the microwave emission test, and through the use of microwave emission labels users can avoid the hazards and dangers that may be associated with the use of potentially harmful microwaves. Microwaves have been known to be extremely dangerous if not properly up kept, and the waves that the can emit have even been linked to the development of certain cancers. Keeping all of this in mind, it seems obvious that labeling microwaves as able to be used or potentially dangerous should be a priority.

Microwave emission labels display several types of important and pertinent information with regards to its use. Besides the information that seems most crucial to know, whether it should be used or not, there is other information that servicemen or technicians may need to know to help with testing procedures. Usually stuck inside the microwave with information written with a permanent marker, information about the amount of emissions present, a spot to indicate who performed the test, and boxes to write when the test was done and when the test should be done next are all displayed prominently as to allow decisions regarding its safety to be made quickly and accurately. There is even a place where it can be indicated if the interlock test has been performed, which basically tests to see if the microwave closes all the way when in use to prevent the escape of very harmful and dangerous emissions.

Without the use of microwave emission labels, it’s safe to say that an object of daily use for most people could potentially be hazardous without anyone knowing. By undergoing mandatory safety checks every several months to a
year, or the PAT test, people can have the safety of mind that comes with knowing that something they use is safe and won’t cause them harm.

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.

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.