Portable Appliance Testing

[BrianD]

I have just had a bombshell dropped on me from a great height and wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience. As I have mentioned in another thread I gave up regular gigging sevreal years ago but each year put the old band back together to play for a couple of private functions including the annual prize giving dinner dance for my Yacht Club. For the past five years we have played at a particular Hotel in Hampshire without any problems and are due to play there in just two weeks' time. Today our Club Secretary has been told all bands playing must have certificates to show that their equipment has been tested through the Portable Appliance Testing routine. No certificate, no can play!!

I personally own the PA, carry two amps (the BlackStars mentioned elsewhere), my Q2, an da pedal board with mains distribution and five affects units. Then we have the keyboard plus amp and the bass amp, plus our own lighting rig.

Has anyone any experience in having to have PAT certificates and what is involved?

Brian

[JimN]

Paging Mick Annis (longplayer)...

JN

[John M]

I have my units checked annually through my workplace.
Its a 5 minute (or less) job and a sticker is put on the equipment with a test date and serial number.
Never had any certificates though. The (dated) sticker ususally seems enough.

[OLDEREK]

Any Help ?


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Complete-pat-testing-course-cd-pat-test-tester-2009-/330494698963?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item4cf304e5d3

[RayL]

The insistence on PAT by venues is a consequence of demands by insurance companies. In turn the insurance companies are covering their backs because of 'elf'n'safety regulations that allow the courts to impose huge fines for even minor injuries. The regulations are framed in the way they are because they were made into law by politicians who probably didn't understand what they were voting for and certainly didn't appreciate the consequences but will never, under any circumstances, admit that they were wrong.

Portable Appliance Testing has two main aspects - a visual inspection, and specific tests for earth continuity, insulation, and leakage current. These last three are usually undertaken using a specially-made tester unit. Not all equipment needs the same degree of testing - 'double-insulated' needs less than earthed exposed metalwork, for example.

Note that the testing doesn't only apply to an amp, say, or a mixer. It also applies to detachable mains cables, mains splitters and mains extensions.

Here's a couple of books that I keep with my testing equipment:
Code Of Practice for Portable Appliance testing & advice on electrical safety in theatres (issued by the Association of British Theatre Technicians, no ISBN)
PAT: Portable Appliance Testing by Brian Scadden ISBN 0 7506 4721 3

Ray L

[Bob Dore]

I come across this more and more frequently particularly with council owned or run venues. There is no such thing as a PAT certificate but you do need a log which should comprise a listing of everything that connects to the mains. That includes all electrical items, mains leads and power supplies. You also need to assign a serial number to each item so it can be identified.

The log should list the date of last test, the result of the test and the date of next test. In addition, each item should have a pass sticker fixed to it with the date of test and next test written on it.

I have only ever been asked once to show my log (which is always with me) but I have frequently had venue staff look at my equipment and record the fact that an in date pass sticker has been in place. Personally I don't fix stickers to each individual item in a flight case, but I do fix a sticker somewhere prominently within the flight case and this has always been met with approval when checked.

There are various ways of getting equipment checked. I have access to a PAT tester which I borrow at intervals when I need it and a copy of the manual which is typically vague. The manual refers to persons who should carry out PAT testing, for example, as someone who is 'competent to do so'. When I asked an expert what 'competent' means, his answer was 'someone who understands the manual'.

Alternatively, you can pay a local company to do it for you (see Yellow Pages). Some will come to you or you can take your equipment to them. The charges vary so make sure you ask in advance and that you have your log prepared.

When PAT testing started to become common I objected to it. I have since changed my mind and now support it. The reason being that, having studied the manual and become 'competent', I come across items belonging to others which should fail just from the visual inspection all too frequently. For example, earlier this year I was testing my mains leads and distros. I came across a 4 way in my box which wasn't mine but I decided to test it anyway. It failed, so I put it to one side. On examination I opened it and found that the earth wire had been removed!

As a final anecdote, it is unfortunate that a lot of venues who insist on PAT certificates are simply quoting the council's rules (and the council don't understand the rules they impose on their venues). I recently did a gig at such a venue where a council jobsworth appeared and asked to see my PAT certificates (the only time). He didn't much like the fact that I don't do certificates but eventually accepted my log and stickers. He liked it even less when I told him his spot light fixings broke health and safety regulations and asked him to fix them before the show. He said it couldn't be done, so I have written a 'snotagram' to said council but have yet to receive a reply.

Bob.

[Twang46]

"so I have written a 'snotagram' to said council but have yet to receive a reply."


Don't you just love the mindless government instigated nonsense that blights our lives these days hiding behind the mantle of "Health & safety".
What started as a genuine attempt to formalise & regulate domestic electrical safety standards (Part P building regs) has collapsed into chaos with several different competing organisations applying slightly different interpretations of the wiring regulations. This has resulted in thousands of experienced "sparks" (including me) leaving the schemes & an influx of "5 day wonders" that are being certified as "competent".
The relevance of this rant to P.A.T. testing is that (IMHO) a person carrying out these tests should be properly qualified (City & Guilds) and insured with the necessary experience and ability to be able to recognise abnormalities in the equipment being tested & how to deal with them

Cheers

Dick.

[dave robinson]

We did a gig at a hotel recently that demanded PAT certificates as well as public liability insurance. We got it sorted as it isn't a big job but it never the less put us out a bit, but the venue never even looked closely at the certificates when I presented them and then they had the stupidity to block the only fire exit in the room and told us to set up in front of it. Total tossers!

The public liability was covered by my Musicians Union membership, which is good value.

[BrianD]

Thanks for all your comments, guys. Most helpful. Since i posted the original query - just a few minutes after the bomb shell had dropped, I found that our second guitarist, who alsdo plays in another band has already been through the loop with his equipment and is going to look at getting the rest of ours sorted.

Just an inconvenient pain and wish they had dropped this on us a few montghs back so there could have been more time to deal with it.

Brian

[noelford]

I don't do paid gigs any more, just charity gigs, and a local electrical company did my Portable Appliance Testing free-of charge. Public Liability is becoming another issue and I considered rejoining the MU but thought it expensive considering I'm not only not earning any money for my music but actually paying out a fair bit from my own pocket for every charity gig I do. In the end, I have become a full member of Making Music, the voluntary music organisation, which also provides Public Liability insurance.