PAT testing in schools

[litemog]

One of the schools I occassionaly work in contracts the annual PAT testing of its stage lighting equipment to an outside company. Despite this I recently discovered potentially lethal faults on two lanterns. These faults would have been easily discoverable on an internal examination of the equipment wiring. Do PAT testing regulations require an internal inspection of such equipment or is an external inspection considered sufficient.

 

Also it has been suggested to me that the act of opening up a lantern and changing the lamp is enough to require the lantern to be re PAT tested. Is this the case?

[Andrew C]

Simply, no and no.

 

I wouldn't expect a tester to open an item, not would I re-test after a simple re-lamp.

[grizzly]

The IEE Code of Practice makes no mention of internal inspections, however the ABTT Code of Practice for PAT does state (p12):

 

Inspection should include, where possible, removing plug tops and appliance covers as necessary to examine vulnerable parts.

 

I wouldn't do a full re-test after a lamp change either, but it certainly would be a useful juncture to give the fixture a visual inspection, internal & external.

[J Pearce]

My experience of education market pat testers has been rough at best.

As I joined my current place of work they had just moved to testing in house, and some of the things I found with a green sticker on were not too clever at all.

 

However, specialist companies like Stage Electrics/White Light/local hire company are great. They could do the PAT testing while they're doing the periodic electrical installation and rigging testing

[paulears]

PAT in schools is often iffy because no-industry testers are presented with kit up in the air, and very often can't get to it. One firm doing tests told me once that none of the lights had been tested because access was a problem, so they just walk away, and they don't get tested at all - which is worse really.

[Brian]

... I recently discovered potentially lethal faults on two lanterns. ...

Out of interest what were the faults?

[adam2]

In my view, PAT testing of MOST appliances should not require any dismantling or internal inspection, but theatre lanterns should be an exception.

Most theatre lanterns can be opened or partialy dismantled without the use of a key or tool, therefore the inside of the lantern is accesable to the user and should be inspected.

Likewise, the inside of a fridge or oven is accesable to the user without tools and should be inspected, in my view.

 

Most other appliances require the use of a key or tool to access the interior, which is therefore not considered accesable to the user, and therefore in view does not require inspection.

In many cases dismantling would void the warrenty, and some appliances simply cant be dismantled without destroying them.

 

If an appliance that is not intended to be opened or dismantled by the user, IS dismantled, perhaps for repair, then to require re PAT testing would be reasonable.

 

However in the case of a theatre lantern which is intended to be opened by the user for re lamping or cleaning, then I see no need for re-testing after changing the lamp.

What next, re PAT testing a desk lamp after changing the bulb ? or a freezer after defrosting it ?

[Andrew C]

Most theatre lanterns can be opened or partialy dismantled without the use of a key or tool, therefore the inside of the lantern is accesable to the user and should be inspected.

 

<snip>

 

or a freezer after defrosting it ?

OK, I was thinking more of opening up bits you can't readily see ie. behind reflectors etc. So, yes, open the lamptray and see if it looks OK.

 

Defrosting the freezer? That reminds me...

[litemog]

... I recently discovered potentially lethal faults on two lanterns. ...

Out of interest what were the faults?

 

Couple of old CCT 1200w followspots. Couldn't work out why they were so dim so decided to clean the reflectors. Turned out that over a period of time the lamps had burned a hole in the back of the reflectors, then burned off all the protective shielding on the cables and was burning through the copper leaving the exposed wires millimeters from the casing of a lantern routinely handled by pupils when powered up.

[Trunker]

There are schools in the county borough where I live, which I operate sound for, for their end of year shows etc. Their lanterns are 5 years+ out of date. I mentioned this to the schools in question and their reply was that the council is in charge and they do them. Obviously not, looking at the last test date. Now, the school asks me to rig and refocus the offending items every year and I have my C&G certificates in PAT testing so I could test these no problem when I go in to do their refocusing. Can anyone think of a way of approaching this, so the job can get done, but without supposedly dropping anyone (who has supposed to have tested the lanterns) in the deep end?

[DrummerJonny]

I'd feel that if they were meant to do a job and haven't, you shouldn't be too worried about dropping them in it.

[ojc123]

My experience of education market pat testers has been rough at best.

That's why we do ours in-house. Contractors do the standard stuff in the rest of the school but I do the stage kit and science kit is tested by the physics technician. The contractors have sometimes failed stuff which is ok because they don't know how it works. PAR cans caused a pile of failures when they did it. Did they think "Are we doing something wrong if all the same lamp fails?" No. They cut the plugs off and stuck on red stickers. And they took a bit of convincing that 15A plugs were ok even if the plug didn't have a fuse. Pah. The only good thing was that our Premises people backed me up and made their electrician rewire all the PAR cans which had too short cables once they'd cut off the plugs. This was done at their expense.

 

FWIW, my visual of the lanterns includes a look around inside. I wouldn't retest a lantern if I changed the lamp but I would do a visual check while I was at it. Before I use my recently repaired mixer I will test it because the casing has been off. That's not a normal user task and it is possible that the earth bond has been compromised for instance.

[J Pearce]

We're all inhouse now. Department technicians do testing for their department, IT is tested by IT dept, everything else (offices and departments that don't have technicians) is tested by the caretakers.

[Davethsparky]

They cut the plugs off and stuck on red stickers. And they took a bit of convincing that 15A plugs were ok even if the plug didn't have a fuse. Pah.

 

Are they even allowed to do that? I'm sure there is no law that requires or even allows a person carrying out a pat test to cut the plug off of a failed item. I'm sure if you find a clever enough lawyer you could probably get them for damaging your equipment or something like that.

[ojc123]

The only good thing was that our Premises people backed me up and made their electrician rewire all the PAR cans which had too short cables once they'd cut off the plugs. This was done at their expense.

Job done. And they no longer have the contract. It was a few years ago now.

To be fair, I remove the plug on any of my own fails to stop people being tempted to use it until it's repaired. It's not 'the law' though. Before there is any comment I don't cut the plugs off and leave the wires sticking out of the plug.