Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

12.7.1 User 
checks
When any portable electrical hand tool, appliance, exten-
sion lead or similar item of equipment is taken into use, 
and at least once each week or, in the case of heavy 
work, before each shift, the following visual check and 
associated questions should be asked:
➤
is there a recent portable appliance test (PAT) label 
attached to the equipment?
➤
are any bare wires visible?
➤
is the cable covering undamaged and free from cuts 
and abrasions (apart from light scuffi ng)?
➤
is the cable too long or too short? (Does it present a 
trip hazard?)

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➤
is the plug in good condition, for example, the cas-
ing is not cracked and the pins are not bent (see 
Figure 12.10)?
➤
are there no taped or other non-standard joints in 
the cable?
➤
is the outer covering (sheath) of the cable gripped 
where it enters the plug or the equipment? (The col-
oured insulation of the internal wires should not be 
visible)
➤
is the outer case of the equipment undamaged or 
loose and are all screws in place?
➤
are there any overheating or burn marks on the plug, 
cable, sockets or the equipment?
➤
are the trip devices (RCDs) working effectively (by 
pressing the ‘test’ button)?
12.7.2 Formal visual inspections and tests
There should be a 
formal visual inspection
routinely 
carried out on all portable electrical appliances. Faulty 
equipment should be taken out of service as soon as 
the damage is noticed. At this inspection the plug cover 
(if not moulded) should be removed to check that the 
correct fuse is included, but the equipment itself should 
not be taken apart. This work can normally be carried 
out by a trained person who has suffi cient information 
and knowledge.
Some faults, such as the loss of earth continuity 
due to wires breaking or loosening within the equipment, 
the breakdown of insulation and internal contamin-
ation (for example, dust containing metal particles may 
cause short circuiting if it gets inside the tool), will not be 
spotted by visual inspections. To identify these problems, 
a programme of testing and inspection will be necessary.
This formal