PAT Testing: What is It and Why Do You Need It?
What is PAT Testing
When you are working with electrical equipment, you do not want to blow a fuse. If you are an event sound engineer and have experienced that sultry tone of one of your amps cutting out, there is usually only one thing on your mind: PAT testing. So what is PAT testing?
Portable appliance testing, or PAT for short, is what describes the routine examination and diagnosis of electrical equipment to make sure that they are safe to use, in our case signal processors, line systems, speakers, and pretty much all electrical audio equipment for events. To ensure that the electronics in your audio equipment are working perfectly, you need to have your gear PAT tested before sending it on the road, or else you could be facing the fate of the broken speaker issue, or worse, complete audio cutoff.
The stage of PAT testing occurs whenever the electrical equipment in question has been used at an event or otherwise, and before it goes out to a new job to safeguard the liability of the technology. If you are PAT testing correctly, or using a PAT testing service like Audio Production Hire, then you can rest easy in the knowledge that your events audio and electronics are in safe hands. When you skip out on PAT testing, that’s when you run into event mayhem.
What Audio Equipment Comes Under Portable Electrical Apparatus?
Whilst all electrical appliances need frequent testing and maintenance, PAT testing only applies to one category of item. The clue really is in the name: the ‘P’ in PAT being portable. This can relate to anything that you can move and likely has a plug into the mains power supply system. From the electrical fan on your desk to the washing machine in your kitchen, if it is portable, it needs PAT testing.
When talking about audio equipment, pretty much all speaker systems and related apparatus for live outdoor and venue events needs PAT testing. This includes speaker and line array systems, digital signal processors, processing racks, mixing consoles and desks, line systems, mics, wireless systems, power boards, and even DJ turntables and mixers. This is why all of Audio Production Hire’s soundsystem stock is PAT tested and approved before being sent out to any client.
How does PAT Testing Work for Audio Equipment?
Though PAT testing your audio equipment is not explicitly a legal requirement, laws in the UK dictate that businesses must preserve their electric equipment condition safely. This applies most specifically to a business’ staff and members of the public, meaning that PAT testing legislation is no truer than for the events industry and its punters.
So how do you PAT test audio equipment for live venues and events? While this is entirely dependent on which category of electronics your equipment fits into, the standard PAT testing for audio is ensuring that the live, earth, and other visible wires are safely connected, the insulation between exposed and touchable metal and electrical carrying parts are tested soundly, and that most importantly the speakers work!
Audio Production Hire’s PAT testing team handle every unit with precision and care, ensuring that all exposed wiring and dangerous hazards are dealt with before audio equipment is sent out to clients, and upon receiving the audio equipment back from events.
Should You Carry Out Your Own Pat Testing or Hire Audio Production Hire to PAT Your Audio Equipment?
While there is nothing in the UK legislation saying that a business can’t PAT test their own equipment, but thelaw ensure that every electrical appliance is safe from peril before use. Would you rather risk it or leave it to the professionals. Think about it, would you rather the plumber deal with the amputation or the surgeon?
To be able to correctly PAT and sign the certificate, a tester must know about electrical work and electrical appliances, know how to carry out audio equipment visual diagnoses, be hazard away of specialist audio equipment, and have the authority to give the all clear on potentially dangerous apparatus.
Audio Production’s Hire’s highly qualified PAT testing team have been testing the safety of audio apparatus for over twenty years. If you are looking for high quality speakers and audio equipment to ensure that your live event goes off without a fuse going off, then you can trust that Audio Production Hire perform the most rigorous PAT tests for every client.
Get in Touch With Audio Production Hire to See How We Can Help With Your Audio Production Plan
If you are looking for audio and events production professionals who PAT test all their equipment then get in touch with Audio Production Hire today.
