What is a Portable Appliance?
Any electrical appliance that is powered between 50 and 415 volts and is connected to the electrical mains by a cable and plug is classified as a portable appliance, and will therefore need periodic PAT testing. In practice appliances less than 50v are deemed low voltage and therefore require no formal inspection.
The name suggests that the appliance should be ‘portable’, in reality any appliance that can be moved without unwiring is categorised as a portable appliance. As well as static equipment such as PC monitors, the guidelines cover electrical appliances owned by employees who use them at work, as these can obviously cause harm to those who use them and others in close proximity.
The regulations apply to all appliances as if they were the property of a business that are being used during working hours. They include the following appliances;
Photocopiers, fridges, mobile phone charges, fax machines, computers, music systems, heaters, irons, PA systems, drills, kettles, microwaves, monitors, ovens, etc.