Portable Appliance Tag System

PATS Limited like everyone else used a self-adhesive label on all appliances that had been PAT tested but after a few days they had disappeared due to the environment it was being used in. We decided that the self-adhesive label was not adequate for any environment other than an office and set about designing the PAT Tag system.

The system was designed primarily for use on extension leads, vacuum cleaners, power tools and appliances in harsh environments. The system has been thoroughly tested over the years and has proved that it can assist in a safe system of work and is widely used onshore and offshore oil and gas installations.

The plastic holder is secured to the appliance at the point of use, or the connection point, with two cable ties. The I.D number is written in the space provided or can be bar-coded to assist with easy identification. When all testing has been carried out the double sided Passed Safety Test Insert is filled out by the Pat Testing Engineer and inserted into the holder.  If the appliance fails when in use simply take out the insert to reveal the Failed Safety test / Do Not Use notice.

The Portable Appliance Tag system is so versatile that it can be used on any asset that needs to be maintained to include:- Electrical appliances,  Lifting equipment, Hand and arm vibration testing, Pneumatic and electronic process instrumentation and Fire extinguishers.  How long will the tag last you ask? We have seen tags covered in oil and grease on oil platforms and HGV garages, buried in sludge and ran over by earth moving machinery, they may be dirty but still usable. It has to be said that the cable may get damaged but the tag will still be there. At an HGV garage some tags have lasted 20 years and have outlasted the angle grinder it was fixed too.

 We can print in any colour you wish. For further information please contact our sales department on tmc@pats.co.uk

Labels for Electrical Inspection and Testing

Whether you use a tag or a label they must conform to the requirements of the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment 4th Edition. The information on the label or tag is to inform the user whether the electrical appliance is safe to us or not. The information must state whether the appliance Passed or Failed the safety inspection or test and must include unique asset identification. Test date, Next test date or Frequency, the signature of the person conducting the test and must be clearly visible when the next test is carried out. The Next test date or Frequency is not now required by the IET Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment 4th Edition but most of our customers prefer its inclusion on the tag or label.

A paper label with a smiley logo and saying “I’ve Passed” does not conform at all. 

Labels come in all shapes and sizes and material specifications. We make sure all our labels will last to the next test and are made from Vinyl or Polypropylene and NOT paper and of course our labels do comply with the IEE Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment 4th Edition but do include the Next Test Date.

Our Pat Tag System lasts the test of time
This PAT Tag was first used on Asset 1853 a 13 amp extension lead in an HGV garage in June 1994. The cable, 13A plug and socket have been replaced many times, but the tag and more remarkably the bar code is still readable. Good value for money, Yes I would say so!!

We live in a throwaway world, but our tags are here to stay.

For further information please contact our sales department at tmc@pats.co.uk