Portable appliance testing in a group of modelling enthusiasts with reasonable technical skills; what qualifications are formally required for the tester?

There's probably no simple yes/no answer - the law doesn't stipulate thing in that kind of detail (last time I looked it didn't even demand appliance testing as such - just a necessity to ensure systems were safe - and testing was "generally regarded" as one means of achieving that).

Going back (30-ish years?) when "PAT" first came in across most workplaces I was sent on a short course and given a certificate and was then deemed OK to carry out testing. (and I'm one of these people who while is quite enthusiastic about all things electrical and have absorbed a bit of knowledge on the subject, I had no actual electrical qualifications beyond A-level physics). Guidance and what's generally acceptable may have moved on this then though. I'm sure someone will be able to point you to the current CoPs etc.

I will make the observation thought that a lot of experience in one electrical area doesn't necessarily help hugely when working in another - as while the basic principles and physics are of course the same, there can be major differences in implementation details. Appliances especially can be quite different to fixed installations for example. The number of times we've had electricians question the safety of an appliance because the metal case wasn't earthed (the innards were Class II) or carry out repairs/modifications in a way that inadvertently compromise the Class II protection.

Also a lot will depend on quite what of environment this is - is it a workplace for example (if not the H&S@W Act and the Electricity at Work Regs might not apply at all), Insurance or landlord may have particular demands.

   - Andy.

Peter Stanton said:

I have been challenged by a DNO training technician engineer as being "Too distant from practical matters?"

I think that says more about them than it does about you! I would suggest that on the basis that you describe you sound far better qualified to undertake PAT than the majority of people who do so (perfectly competently).

I'd say the main skills you need to bring to PAT are reasonable eyesight, a bit of care, and the nerve to stand up to people who don't like it when you fail their equipment! If you've been on a course you'll be fine. 

Legally, no qualification is needed, but being adequately competent - whatever that means. Now in reality most fails will be mechanical - damaged flex, loose covers, and other things that would clearly fail a finger test

Insulation resistance fails are likely to be confined to things that have actually gone bang, and devices with mineral insulated heaters, like kettles and some types of soldering iron. 

What sort of training does this DNO person do then ?

Round here some of  the DNO staff are pretty agricultural  (hacksaw rather than  side-cutters ) and not their best on anything much less than 25mm2, and more complex earth loop faults take them some solving. They are superb however, if you need a buried join in PILC or an overhead line tension set-up, but its a different 'practical' skill set, and i suspect also not relevant for a PAT of a small appliance.  

Unless you are so ham-fisted that you would struggle to wire a plug, I'd ignore the criticism and crack on.

Mike. 

mapj1 said:

Unless you are so ham-fisted that you would struggle to wire a plug, I'd ignore the criticism and crack on.

Love it! :-)

Mind you, young folk wouldn't have a clue nowadays. Or have you taught your scouts?

Or have you taught your scouts?

oh yes, 13A sockets and for the keen lamp-holders and more usefully how to wire the blue commando sockets as well.

Sometimes we use those for lights in marquees etc, and at the Essex Jambo we had loads of them and many km of wire

I also have a "dangers of electricity" demo that is two old dinner forks, mounted spikes up on a piece of wood, to which with a key switch and a push button the mains may be applied via a limiting resistance.

This allows for the rapid cooking of hot dog sausages, to demonstrate entry and exit burns, or (lights please!) the generation  of the sodium D line (street lamp orange) from the salt in pickled Gherkins when excited by  230 of his majesty's finest volts... 

That is however, one piece of kit I don't lend out or leave down the hut when I'm not with it.  I probably should do a video.

Mike.

mapj1 said:

I probably should do a video.

Yes please! :-)