Portable Appliance Testing

Portable Appliance Testing is a procedure in which electrical appliances are checked via numerous tests to make sure they are safe for use. A full test involves first carrying out a visual inspection of electrical appliance. This is very important as some hazards may not be picked up by the instrumentation test alone. The appliance is then tested with a specialised portable appliance tester which checks polarity, earth continuity, leakage current and insulation resistance of each appliance.

Each appliance can vary into how much time is required to determine its test result. Generally, most appliances are safe to use and can be tested through visual and instrument test in 3 minutes.
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Midland Test & Tag will require each electrical appliance to be unplugged to ensure a full safety check/test can be carried out. We know this can be an inconvenience to customers so we will first come up with a suitable with you in order to cause minimal disruption to your business.
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If an appliance happens to fail a test, Midland Test & Tag will tag it ‘not safe for use’ and will advise on what next steps are required to solve this issue. Sometimes, appliances can be repaired very easily but if not, they may need to be replaced.

The frequency of test and tag vary depending on the type of appliance and to what environment they are located in. Generally, the typical frequency is as followed:
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Annually - Office equipment, power tools, extension leads, general appliances
Six monthly – Factories
Quarterly – Construction sites
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Upon completion of our testing, a detailed asset report will be provided for your records and a reminder will be sent when retesting is due.