Thought provoking PAT question!

This is specifically a PAT question. This inspector seems to be invoking a completely different set of regulations, which he may or may not be qualified to apply. I think this is a case where he certainly exceeds his PAT authority, and if he is unhappy should simply report his concerns to the HSE who will sort it out correctly. I suggests that the customer simply refuses to pay him. I am certain that the customer did not ask him to inspect against the machinery regulations, which is considerably more difficult than the average PAT inspector can cope with or is qualified to do. If it were me I would suggest to the customer that there may to be some problem, but it is nothing whatever to do with PAT! I don't think that pillar drills and bench grinders etc require brakes anyway, unless they are for young people in schools, who are never allowed to use bench grinders anyway. It is certain machines like radial drills and spindle moulders which need brakes, not everything, and most of these have virtually instant brakes, not 10 seconds by which time the operator would be mincemeat, but then that is probably beyond the Inspectors understanding too.

This is specifically a PAT question. This inspector seems to be invoking a completely different set of regulations, which he may or may not be qualified to apply. I think this is a case where he certainly exceeds his PAT authority, and if he is unhappy should simply report his concerns to the HSE who will sort it out correctly. I suggests that the customer simply refuses to pay him. I am certain that the customer did not ask him to inspect against the machinery regulations, which is considerably more difficult than the average PAT inspector can cope with or is qualified to do. If it were me I would suggest to the customer that there may to be some problem, but it is nothing whatever to do with PAT! I don't think that pillar drills and bench grinders etc require brakes anyway, unless they are for young people in schools, who are never allowed to use bench grinders anyway. It is certain machines like radial drills and spindle moulders which need brakes, not everything, and most of these have virtually instant brakes, not 10 seconds by which time the operator would be mincemeat, but then that is probably beyond the Inspectors understanding too.