There are no absolute rules regarding how often an item of electrical equipment should be tested

There are no absolute rules regarding how often an item of electrical equipment should be tested. HSE Guidance Notes advise "regular testing" and this is generally interpreted as a requirement for annual testing. However, circumstances and conditions of use will vary. The competent test person should be able to advise on the frequency of testing resulting from his own experience and discussions with the user or dutyholder (who may be a non-technical person) regarding the "lifestyle" of the equipment.

Personnel responsible for the safe use of electrical equipment, for example contractors, managers of electrical/electronics laboratories (test equipment and tools) office managers (electrical office machines) are each regarded by the Electricity at Work Act as 'dutyholders' and should operate a routine safety testing programme.

Where an employee is permitted to bring his own portable or transportable electrical equipment onto a site or into a Works, that employee under the Health & Safety At Work Act 1979 and Electricity At Work Regulations 1989 has an additional duty in that the equipment is to some extent "within his control". The employer must, however, monitor the employee's provision and use of such equipment and where applicable, must include the items in the schedule of appliances to be tested.

Principle For Frequency Of Testing

The underlying principle for frequency of testing is that the dutyholder (i.e. the person with the equipment "within his control") with the advice of the competent test person when necessary must assess the need for testing the equipment against the following:

1. Type of equipment (portable, hand held or transportable)
2. Style of use (continuous, infrequent, rough)
3. Age of the equipment
4. If regularly moved or transported and by what means
5. Type and competence of personnel using the equipment
6. Environment of usage (outdoors, construction sites, hazardous atmospheres etc).
7. Results of previous tests
8. Manufacturer's recommendations
9. Effect of any modifications or repairs to the equipment

Suggested Initial Frequency Of Inspection And Testing Of Equipment

Type Of Premises	Type Of Equipment (Note 1)	User Checks (Note 2)	Class I		Class II (Note 4)
			Formal Visual Inspection (Note 3)	Combined Inspection and Testing (Note 5)	Formal Visual Inspection (Note 3)	Combined Inspection and Testing (Note 5)
Construction Sites 110V equipment	S IT M# P# H#	None None Weekly Weekly Weekly	1 month 1 month 1 month 1 month 1 month	3 months 3 months 3 months 3 months 3 months	1 month 1 month 1 month 1 month 1 month	3 months 3 months 3 months 3 months 3 months
Industrial including commercial kitchens	S IT M P H	Weekly Weekly Before Use Before Use Before Use	None None 1 month 1 month 1 month	12 months 12 months 12 months 6 months 6 months	None None 3 months 3 months 3 months	12 months 12 months 12 months 6 months 6 months
Equipment used by the public	S IT M P H	Note 6+ Note 6+ Note 6+ Note 6+ Note 6+	Monthly Monthly Weekly Weekly Weekly	12 months 12 months 6 months 6 months 6 months	3 months 3 months 1 month 1 month 1 month	12 months 12 months 12 months 12 months 12 months
Schools	S IT M P H	Weekly Weekly Weekly Weekly Before Use	None None 4 months 4 months 4 months	12 months 12 months 12 months 12 months 12 months	12 months 12 months 3 months 3 months 4 months	48 months 48 months 48 months 48 months 48 months
Hotels	S IT M P H	None None Weekly Weekly Before Use	24 months 24 months 12 months 12 months 6 months	48 months 48 months 24 months 24 months 12 months	24 months 24 months 24 months 24 months 6 months	None None None None None
Offices and Shops	S IT M P H	None None Weekly Weekly Before Use	24 months 24 months 12 months 12 months 6 months	48 months 48 months 24 months 24 months 12 months	24 months 24 months 24 months 24 months 6 months	None None None None None