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#1 Posted : 16 September 2002 13:32:00(UTC)
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Posted By Malcolm Earl
The company I work for has provided DSE equipment for offices overseas in Portugal, Spain and Gibraltar. The questions I am asking of the forum are:
a) Is there a requirement in legislation to carry out PAT in these overseas location and are we responsible for providing it?
b) What are the time scales for PAT of DSE?
C) As a side issue, is it laid down in UK legislation that you must carry out PAT at specific time scales. I am working from HSE Guidance as best practice, but Management considers this non-enforceable
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#2 Posted : 16 September 2002 14:19:00(UTC)
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Posted By Paul Adams
If you are able to demonstrate that you have complied with HSE Guidance, you are generally considered to have done sufficient to comply with the legislation. If not, you must be able to demonstrate legal compliance by some other means. There is a paragraph to this affect in the front of each Guidance publication. My understanding is that the Guidance is used by the enforcing body as the compliance model. Your management may, of course, have a more effective means of doing this.
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#3 Posted : 16 September 2002 16:45:00(UTC)
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Posted By Jim Walker
My Portable Appliance Testing “bible” is:

Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment published by IEE (ISBN 0 85296 776 4).
This includes a list of recommended (and in my opinion very sensible) intervals for different equipment taking into account use, users, locations and environmental conditions.

Incidentally, proof of competence to inspect and test can be gained via C&G 2377. I did this as an evening course at my local college (8 X 2 hours plus 2 X 1.5 hour exams). Well worth doing.
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#4 Posted : 16 September 2002 17:52:00(UTC)
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Posted By Brian Dawson
Suggest you check out the laws of the Countries concerned. It doesn't really matter what the HSE says.
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#5 Posted : 17 September 2002 19:55:00(UTC)
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Posted By Geoff Burt
Is the DSE equipment for use by your own employed UK nationals working for your company in a foreign country. If so my understanding (and I believe there is a test case on this) is that you are obliged to generally follow the UK laws if the local laws/requirements are more relaxed. If this is the case HSE guidance would have some standing.

Guidance has been provided by the HSE for timescales for testing/inspection of equipment. As the question mentions DSE equipment in offices, INDG236 is the relevant publication titled 'maintaining portable electrical equipment in offices and other low risk environments'. I have no doubt the IEE advice is just as sound but I would suggest the free leaflet is all you need.

There are no laid down timescales for inspection/testing of DSE equipment in UK law. Equipment must be maintained 'so as to avoid danger'.

Geoff
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