Pat Testing Nationwide - Electrical Fires Can be Reduced

Portable appliance testing can reduce the risk of electrical fires.

Most electrical fires at commercial properties such as offices and shops are the result of overheating cables and equipment. These are generally a result of overloaded circuits, bunched and coiled cables or faulty cooling fans. The other major factor leading to these fires is the lack of maintenance and testing of electrical equipment and flammable materials been left too close to equipment giving off heat.

Businesses in Gloucestershire have being recently urged to check all electrical equipment after an increase in fires in the workplace.

If a portable electrical appliance is being used by a business, including items brought in by staff they then need to be regularly visually inspected and undergo Portable Appliance Testing, Pat Testing.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Geoff Sallis, said: “Carrying out a fire risk assessment will help businesses to identify any problems and take steps to address them, such as providing more sockets to avoid overloading them by using adaptors, replacing fuses if they are not the correct rating and re-arranging the workspace to reduce the risk of fire.

“Regular testing by a qualified electrician is also vital, as well as being a legal requirement, and it’s equally important to then maintain equipment to ensure it continues to be safe to use.”

Between April 1st, 2009 and January 31st, 2010, fires outside of people’s homes increased by 46% and 40.7% of these fires were caused by faulty electrical appliances or supply.