Product category:
Electrical and Electronic Testing and PAT Equipment
News Release from: PowerPlug UK | Subject: IntroPat
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 28 October 2005
Managers take on appliance testing
duties
Field managers at energy data management company IMServ are taking a DIY approach to portable electrical appliance testing and inspection of over 120 meter readers in NW England.
Field managers at energy data management company IMServ are taking a DIY approach to portable electrical appliance testing (PAT) and inspection of over 120 meter readers in the north-west of England As the UK's largest and most experienced interval data collector, IMServ is the most established national service provider in the commercial and industrial sector, remotely collecting over 5 million data items every day
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 30 Sep 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Tester allows do-it-yourself PAT screening
Portable electrical appliance test specialist PowerPlug UK is encouraging regular clients to save money in between regular scheduled test programmes by conducting their own legally required PAT tests.
Interim test instrument cuts the cost of PAT
PowerPlug UK is encouraging regular clients to save money in between regular scheduled test programmes by conducting their own legally required PAT tests using an 'interim' test instrument.
Last year IMServ collected over 100 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity consumption, which is 30% of the annual national demand with an energy value of over GBP 3 billion.
The company, part of the Invensys Group, employs meter readers throughout the UK who work from a home base and use electrical data loggers as part of their job.
It fell to electrical appliance inspection and test specialist PowerPlug UK to devise a PAT programme for the north-west division of IMServ which ensured that safety standards were maintained without disruption to normal meter reading schedules.
Further reading
PowerPlug helps IMServ with in-house PAT testing
Field managers at IMServ are themselves undertaking the portable electrical appliance testing (PAT) and inspection programme for over 120 meter readers in the north-west of England.
Hire firm brings appliance testing in-house
Electrical safety is paramount for Allens Catering Hire Service so, the company's own staff have undertaken training in portable electrical appliance and test procedures.
The solution was to train IMServ managers to carry out inspection and test operations while undertaking their normal visits to members of staff.
Three managers and their assistants were issued with the necessary equipment: an entry level IntroPat suitable for testing in low risk environments.
They were then trained in its use and the safe and effective operation of a PAT programme for the electrical equipment used by their teams of meter readers.
The training course ran over two days and equipped the field managers with the necessary knowledge and ability to test portable electrical equipment to standards set by the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and to meet the requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulation 1989.
Starting with the principles of electricity and the history of its use the course content included safety regulations, risk assessment and use of test equipment.
The staff were formally assessed and all reached a sufficient high standard of understanding and ability to be awarded the PowerPlug UK Certificate of Competence.
The management team now handles all inspection and testing of existing and new equipment using the PowerPlug UK schedules of frequency for safe testing.
District Manager at IMServ with responsibility for health and safety in the north-west, Howard Robinson said: "This solution has proved extremely effective.
As managers we regularly visit our staff and we can now schedule the PAT programme to coincide with these visits so that the day-to-day schedules are not disrupted".
"It's been interesting to see how all our staff have now become much more aware of the importance of electrical safety".
"Because testing takes place at the homes of staff, they see when appliances are fail and it's explained to them why".
"They then realise how important it is that these regular tests and checks are carried out".
• PowerPlug UK: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
