Objectives

By the end of this 1-2 hour course, you will:

• Understand what is meant by 'portable' electrical equipment
• Explain the two classes of portable equipment
• Be familiar with the legal requirements of using portable electrical equipment in the workplace
• Be able to perform a risk assessment on portable electrical equipment
• Understand the hierarchy of control and how to use it
• Be aware of the risks that portable electrical equipment pose in working environments
• Understand how to choose the right equipment, cable or plug
• Successfully carry out a range of tests, including pre-use checks, visual inspections and combined visual inspections and tests (PATs)
• Know what to do if equipment fails an inspection or test
• Understand how to handle faulty equipment
• Decide how regular testing and inspection should be
• Know which emergency procedures to implement

Agenda

This online course covers the following topic areas:

• What is portable electrical equipment?
• The risks and legislation of portable electrical equipment
• The legal responsibilities for employers and workers
• Risk assessments - what they are, and who is responsible for carrying them out
• Recognising hazards, assessing who is at risk, determining the level of risk and recording findings
• Why it's important to review and update your risk assessment procedure
• Understanding the hierarchy of control
• Safe storage and use of electrical equipment
• Cables and connection points
• How to handle faulty equipment
• How to check hired equipment
• Recognising the risks from different equipment and work spaces
• Emergency procedures and fire safety measures
• Inspections and testing – types of test, frequency and failed inspections

Assessment

At the end of this course, you will take an online exam containing 20 multiple-choice questions. The exam is marked automatically and you’ll find out your results straight away. A pass mark of 90% is required, however, if you are unsuccessful, you can re-take the exam as many times as you need to at no extra charge.

Who is this Course for?

If you work in a low risk workplace such as an office, this course will give you a solid introduction to general health and safety guidelines regarding portable appliance testing.

Anyone responsible for health and safety at work will learn the basics in order to feel confident that they can meet and maintain legal requirements.

Please note: Portable appliances in higher risk workplaces, such as industrial sites, schools and gyms may require a different method of testing. Therefore, this course is not suitable.