pat for homeworkers

PAT Testing for Homeworkers

Last updated on 3rd May 2023

In this article

In 2020, homeworking changed from being an elusive benefit for a handful of usually senior workers, to becoming the new normal standard practice for many more jobs. According to the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) in February 2022, 84% of workers who had to work from home because of the coronavirus pandemic said they planned to carry out a mix of working at home and in their place of work in the future. Whilst offering many advantages, there are challenges of working from home, and these need to be tackled by both employers and employees for greater effectiveness and safety.

Initially, the super-fast change from workplace working to homeworking at the start of the pandemic resulted in quick improvisation on the part of both employers and employees. However, as the temporary solution to the uncertain situation has become a more permanent change to ways of working, improvisation now needs to change to standardised practices to overcome any challenges.

Understanding the challenges remote employees face is necessary for employers to work towards resolving potential issues. Careful consideration needs to go into individual solutions. As there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, much will depend on distinguishing the type of work being undertaken, the individual needs of the workforce and the variety of work equipment being used by homeworkers.

Included in these challenges is that of safe working. So should employers now be thinking about including home electrical appliances used by employees in the course of their work in their annual PAT testing regimes? As around 1,000 workplace accidents involving burns or electric shock are reported to the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ) each year, there is a very real need for employers to ensure that the electrical equipment being used by employees working from home is safe and maintained effectively.

What is PAT testing?

PAT stands for portable appliance testing and is the term used to describe the routine examination and inspection of electrical appliances and equipment, to ensure that they are safe to use. The purpose of PAT testing is to prevent electrical accidents in the workplace and in other environments where employees and/or members of the public may be at risk of being harmed.

By basic definition, any portable electrical appliance or equipment needs to be tested. Essentially if the equipment uses a flexible wire or cable to connect to a power supply it qualifies as a portable appliance and needs to be checked. This includes anything from extension leads to a printer. Wireless appliances such as mobile phones do not require a portable appliance test; however, their battery chargers that plug into the wall in order to charge the equipment do.

What are the legal requirements for PAT testing?

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that any electrical equipment that has the potential to cause injury is maintained in a safe condition. However, the regulations do not specify what needs to be done, by whom or how frequently; they don’t make inspection or testing of electrical appliances a legal requirement, nor do they make it a legal requirement to undertake this annually.

Section 2 (5) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 ( PUWER ) refers to every employer being required to, “ensure that all work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order, and in good repair”. One of the most effective ways for businesses to prove that they have safely maintained electrical equipment is by certifying that their electrical appliances are PAT tested. This has become a standard way for businesses to meet this legal obligation and prove that they have done so. When employees are working from home, employers still have a duty of care towards their employees. This means that if an employer PAT tests electrical equipment on their work premises, they should then extend this to their homeworkers too.

Health and safety duties and responsibilities are also set out for businesses in:

The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

How often is PAT testing recommended for homeworkers?

The frequency of electrical appliance checking depends greatly upon use regularity and environment, and it is up to the employer to choose a responsible testing schedule. However, with the increase in electrical equipment in employees’ homes, employees will likely need to use more extension leads and use sockets which may be overloaded with other family members’ devices, causing electrical hazards . This then increases the risk of overheating and can lead to electrical shocks or potential fire. It is the employer’s responsibility to keep employees safe during work, whether they are working from home or in the workplace.

Best practice guidance would be to keep a schedule of all appliances issued to all employees, including those working from home, and ensure that at least bi-annual visual inspections are undertaken, along with a mechanism for defects to be reported back. Employers might create a visual inspection checklist for employees to complete on a regular basis, so that they have a record that these visual inspections have been completed.

Employees working from home will need to be trained and/or provided with sufficient information to be able to carry out the visual inspections . To carry out a visual inspection, employees don’t need to be an electrician, but they do need to know what to look for and they must also have sufficient knowledge to avoid danger to themselves and others.

Potentially dangerous equipment which is used daily in high-risk environments, such as power tools, will need to be checked more frequently than low-use and low-risk devices, for example a printer. The guidance on the frequency of tests and inspection for larger items such as printers and screens suggests a formal visual inspection every two to four years. Where items have an earth, a periodic test is recommended every five years. The reality is that the majority of these items will have been replaced within the timescale recommended for PAT inspection or testing.

What are the dangers and risks of working from home?

Employers should provide all remote working employees with guidance and training on how to carry out a risk assessment in their own working space at home. By ensuring that homeworkers carry out a homeworker’s risk assessment, employers will be able to identify and then deal with any health and safety risks as far as is “reasonably practicable”.

A homeworking risk assessment should check whether the proposed homeworker’s place of work is suitable. Assessing risk is just one part of the overall process used to control risks in the workplace.

The minimum that a homeworker must do is to:

Identify what could cause injury or illness in their home (hazards).
Decide how likely it is that someone could be harmed and how seriously (the risk).
Take action to eliminate the hazard, or if this isn’t possible, control the risk.

Generally, work carried out at home is going to be low-risk, office-type work so any risk assessment will consider:

The homeworking environment

A homeworker risk assessment must assess the suitability of the workspace. There should be enough space for work to be carried out comfortably. Often spaces used for homework such as spare bedrooms or space in the living area, are not suitable because of poor lighting or inadequate ventilation, so an assessment should also include ventilation, lighting and temperature. Assessing the workspace should also include removing trip hazards such as trailing leads.

Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

For any regular DSE user, the workstation must be assessed . A legally compliant workstation including a suitable chair is a must. Additional equipment such as a monitor stand or footrest may be necessary and the need for these identified by the risk assessment. Training staff to carry out their own DSE assessment is the easiest way to ensure an employer meets legal guidelines to provide a safe work area. Self-assessment is also a great solution for mobile workers working in different locations. If concerns are raised on completion, then an additional DSE assessment with a trained competent assessor may be in order.

Supplying and maintaining DSE and other electrical equipment

Of the work equipment used at home, employers are only responsible for equipment that they supply; however, they should make employees aware of safety issues if they are using their own equipment for work purposes. If the employer’s equipment is used, for example a computer with internet access, the employer will have to consider what systems need to be put in place to monitor its use, including privacy and security measures. Though it isn’t possible to be wholly responsible for electrical equipment in an employee’s home, any equipment supplied by the employer does need to be inspected and maintained. The HSE has published guidance on electrical safety in offices.

Mobile equipment

Where employees are mobile and expected to carry equipment to different locations, for example between the workplace and home, there is a risk of manual handling injury. Frequent laptop users should also minimise the time they spend using the laptop and ensure that they take regular breaks.

Other practical ways to reduce any manual handling risk could include providing:

Smaller and lightweight equipment.
Backpack style laptop cases or wheeled cases.
Detachable small keyboard.
Manual handling training.

Fire safety

A homeworker risk assessment should check that flammable materials such as paper, and ignition sources such as cigarettes, are carefully controlled. Anyone working from home also needs to have a working and regularly checked fire alarm/smoke detector and a fire escape plan in place.

If working from home is low risk, such as desk-based work, homeworkers do not require any first aid equipment beyond normal domestic needs.

Stress and mental wellbeing

Employers must ensure mental health is a priority for all workers, but there is an added concern for employees working from home. Forging close bonds with co-workers is beneficial to mental health and employees need to be made aware that homeworking can lead to limited social contact resulting in a feeling of isolation and even depression. It is important for employers to combat this by taking steps to ensure remote workers feel part of a team.

Practical ways employers can achieve this could include:

Having regular meetings with management whether face to face or via online platforms.
Requesting that homeworkers spend at least one day in the office a week or month.
Building a network of lone workers and with other remote workers.
Providing access to helplines and advice.
Holding online meetings with other employees.
Sending newsletters/work updates.
Ensuring that homeworkers are being included in social occasions.

Achieving a sensible work/life balance

This is also essential for positive mental health and wellbeing. Being endlessly connected to work blurs the boundaries between work life and personal life, and this can make it difficult to switch off and relax. This in turn can lead to people working longer hours than they ordinarily would in a traditional workplace setting. Employers should give employees working from home some guidance on maintaining a personal/home life separate from work. Some simple solutions could be using a dedicated phone just for business use which can then be turned off at the end of a working day. Task management and time management training can also be useful in equipping people with the skills needed to effectively manage their time.

Working alone

When homeworkers have completed a thorough risk assessment and submitted it to their employer, the employer has a duty of care to ensure that regular monitoring is in place to be sure the identified potential risks are being controlled adequately.

Working alone, as homeworkers/remote workers often do, presents further challenges concerning personal safety and mental health. There should be measures in place should anyone working alone have an accident, become unwell or be in a position of any danger. Precautions such as a checking-in system can help to ensure any risk is minimised and emergencies rapidly identified.

PAT testing for homeworkers

As well as the visual inspections carried out by employees on their electrical equipment, specialist testing procedures may be needed periodically to ensure the appliances are in safe working order. This testing should be carried out by a professional electrician or fully trained PAT tester, and will generally involve the use of specialist equipment.

The tests depend on the equipment being checked, but can include:

Insulation resistance test.
Earth continuity test.
Earth resistance test.
Polarity check.
Applied current test.

There are two ways of carrying out PAT testing for homeworkers. An employer can arrange for a PAT tester to visit the employee at home or the employer can ask the employee to bring their equipment in for testing when they next come into work premises. Once completed, labelling the electrical appliances with their test dates is a good idea to provide a schedule reminder and proof of testing.

Who is responsible for PAT testing for homeworkers?

Even though there is no legal requirement for employers to regularly check the safety of the electrical equipment they supply, they have the same duty of care whether an employee is at home or in the office. The legislation in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 makes no mention of where the employee is based, whilst the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999 say that “employers are responsible for the health and safety of homeworkers, as far as is reasonably practicable”. So, employers still need to make sure that their employees are working safely, regardless of where they are based.

It is an employer’s responsibility to ensure that remote working employees are adequately trained on remote working fire and electrical safety including how to carry out PAT testing visual inspections, and that they are clear on the safety arrangements that the employer has put in place and what is required of them and others.

It is the employees’ responsibility to comply with whatever safety arrangements the employer has put in place for remote working, and to take whatever actions are required to ensure that their working environment is safe, not only for themselves but also for anyone else in the household.

How can homeworkers check equipment’s electrical safety?

The HSE recommends that all employees using any electrical equipment carry out a user check with the equipment disconnected before use.

Employees should look for:

Damage to the lead including fraying, cuts or heavy scuffing.
Damage to the plug, such as to the cover or bent pins.
Tape applied to the lead to join leads together.
Coloured wires visible where the lead joins the plug – this may mean that the cable is not being gripped where it enters the plug.
Damage to the outer cover of the equipment itself, including loose parts or screws.
Signs of overheating, such as burn marks or staining on the plug, lead or piece of equipment.
Equipment that has been used or stored in unsuitable conditions, such as wet or dusty environments or where water spills are possible.
Cables trapped under furniture or in floor boxes.
Storage of paper – is any paperwork stored next to electrical equipment that could cause a fire?

As part of the visual inspection, the employee should consider whether:

The electrical equipment is being used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
The equipment is suitable for the job.
There has been any change of circumstances.

What are the benefits of PAT testing?

There are several benefits of regular PAT testing, the most significant of which is the reduction in the likelihood of an electrical incident or accident occurring. Regular PAT testing will help employers comply with a number of UK work safety regulations including the Electricity at Work Regulations and the Health & Safety at Work Act. Although maintaining the safety of employees should be an employer’s first priority, they will also want to make sure that the business complies with a long list of regulations that can expose them to legal action should they not comply.

With regular PAT inspections and testing, the risk of electrical appliances falling into disrepair and becoming hazardous is greatly reduced. Consequently, any need for maintenance should be identified and carried out before problems get too serious, preventing the need for costly, large-scale repairs or complete replacements further down the line.

Another advantage of having regular, scheduled PAT testing is that it is appreciated by insurance companies. Homeworkers will need to inform their own home insurers that they are working from home on a regular basis, as it may increase risk factors; however, being able to inform them that any electrical equipment used in relation to the insured person’s work is regularly PAT tested will help to minimise the risks, and this should be reflected in the insurance premiums.

Final thoughts

As homeworking becomes more and more commonplace, feelings around the practice are mixed. Some people are enjoying the flexibility that it offers, happy that the previous, sometimes long commute, has been reduced to often just minutes. However, for others, working from home means never switching off, and the distinction between work and home life has become blurred, with their work/life balance becoming increasingly unequal as they log on earlier and log off later.

For employers, implementing working from home or hybrid working practices presents its own challenges. Health and safety of employees being amongst them. The key is to extend the good practices employed in providing a healthy and safe working environment in the workplace to encompass those working from home and ensure that the same health and safety risk assessments are applied, concerns addressed, and that there are clear safety arrangements in place for employees working from home, and that includes PAT testing.

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Why PAT testing should still be performed even while working remotely

October 30, 2020

Darren Tonge, sales director at Hawkesworth, looks at the modern company’s obligations towards home working and whether PAT testing duties stretch to outside the office environment.

During the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in June, 30% of adults in the UK were working from home, with many still continuing to work outside the office environment. For example, Royal Bank of Scotland decided to allow 50,000 staff to work remotely until the start of 2021, with 50 of the biggest UK employers saying that they have no plans to return all staff to the office full-time in the near future.

The pandemic was the first taste of home working for countless people across the UK, and it has provided workers across a range of industries benefits, including less stress commuting, more flexibility and an improved work-life balance. According to Eskenzi PR, nine out of ten employees have expressed an interest in working remotely even once the pandemic is over.

However, just because employees are out of sight doesn’t mean that they should be out of mind. Regular health and safety requirements apply to all employees, whether they work in the office or at home, in line with The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974). This means that employers are liable if an employee injures themselves whilst working from home.

The dangers of working from home

One of the issues of working from home is that although employees are still bound by health and safety regulations, these regulations are much harder to enforce.

This is due to two key reasons. Firstly, staff working from home are not necessarily aware of the potential fire risks of working at home. Electrical Safety First surveyed 3,000 people at the start of lockdown and discovered that a third of employees were unaware of the potential fire risks of overloading plug sockets, an issue that would typically be quickly resolved in the office by the company QHSE team.

Secondly, employees do not have the same level of resources available to them that they would in the office. Given the rapid nature of how lockdown was enforced back in March, some employees had to make do with the resources they had at home, working from kitchen tables, sat on the sofa with a laptop on their knee, even using an ironing board as an impromptu desk.

Although these approaches resolved these problems temporarily, they were not without their hazards. Leaving appliances like laptops and phones charging on a sofa, bed, or other flammable surfaces can increase the risk of household fires, especially if the charger or battery is faulty.

The Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) requires that any electrical equipment that could cause injury is maintained in a safe condition, ‘as may be necessary to prevent danger’.

The easiest way of reducing the risk of injury due to fire at home is to ask employees to carry out visual checks of their appliances (like monitors, extension leads and printers) to see if there is any damage such as frayed wires or damaged casing. However, this means businesses are wholly reliant on employees to determine if appliances are fit for use, and does not account for any internal damage.

PAT testing is the best way to ensure that printers, monitors and extension leads used, whether in the office or at home, are safe to use and will not pose a fire risk. Electrical appliance testing should be carried out by a ‘competent’ person, at a frequency appropriate to a businesses’ requirements.

PAT and WFH

If staff are working from home, there are two ways that companies can carry out PAT testing.

Carry out PAT testing at an employee’s home

This is when a ‘competent person’ (ideally an engineer) visits an employee’s home to carry out PAT testing there. This can be more expensive as engineers have to travel to employee’s houses, but is a direct and effective way of ensuring compliance.

Staff may feel uneasy about having an engineer in their home, especially if they are concerned about coronavirus, but engineers can negate this risk considerably and reassure employees by wearing face coverings and using hand sanitiser.

Test appliances when staff attend the office

If staff need to attend site for a performance review or board meeting, they can bring their appliances to the office, leave them with an engineer and take them back home with them after the meeting.

This is a more cost-effective solution and allows engineers to test several pieces of equipment in one go, but it can be hard to coordinate, and requires staff to bring potentially heavy or cumbersome pieces of equipment into work.

In conclusion

Homeworking has opened up a lot of opportunities for both employers and employees. With the risk of a second wave of coronavirus imminent, an increase in staff working from home could once again be likely.

It is the responsibility of the employer to keep staff safe from harm, wherever they are working. Even small steps like testing appliances can go a long way towards making employees feel happier and more productive, and most importantly, safer.

Jordan O'Brien

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PAT Testing for Home Workers

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Before COVID, home-working was something that was rarely done. Most employees had to head to their workplaces and spend most of their time there. However, at present, most employers allow flexible working hours as well as working from home.

Employers have a responsibility towards their employees to provide a safe working environment, which includes electrical safety and testing of portable appliances.

With work from home becoming more widespread, this has become much of a concern with many employers confused about their responsibility when it comes to PAT testing for home workers.

It is extremely important that employers recognise that they have the same legal responsibility towards employees who work from home, the same as those working from the office.

This article discusses the importance of PAT testing, what is required, whether the company support it, and what home workers can do to make their home offices safe and protected against electrical threats:

WHAT IS PAT TESTING?

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) refers to a simple test carried out to ensure that the portable equipment is safe to use.

Portable appliances are any type of appliance not part of the fixed wiring. They can be carried and moved around easily, whether or not they are connected to a power source. Portable equipment may include computers, laptops, printers, desk lamps, microwaves, coffee machines, etc.

A professional PAT test involves a certified electrical contractor performing a visual assessment of the appliances and then carrying out a proper test to check their condition using specialised equipment.

Both types of assessments are equally important for a complete PAT test and to ensure that everything has been checked and is safe for use.

Most faults and defects can be identified by a visual test by keeping an eye out for overheating, burning, or unusual odours, whereas some can only be identified through a thorough inspection.

After completing the test, the certified electrical contractor will attach a sticker to the appliance indicating the health of the system in terms of a pass or fail.

ARE THERE PAT TESTING REGULATIONS IN THE UK?

Although there is no legal requirement to carry out PAT testing , it is a great way to check the equipment’s electrical safety.

Since employers have a legal responsibility under the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), they must take all the necessary precautions to make sure the workplace is safe for their employees.

According to the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 , all employers must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their employees while they are at work. This includes ensuring that all electrical appliances and equipment are safe to use.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the government agency responsible for enforcing the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, and it issues guidance on PAT testing, including the frequency of testing and the types of appliances and equipment that should be tested.

According to the HSE, all electrical appliances and equipment should be regularly inspected and tested to ensure that they are safe to use.

The frequency of testing will depend on the type of appliance or equipment, the environment in which it is used, and the level of use.

For example, appliances and equipment that are used frequently or are subjected to rough handling should be tested more frequently than those that are used infrequently or are handled gently.

SHOULD COMPANIES SUPPORT PAT TESTING FOR HOME WORKERS?

PAT testing equipment at the office is a requirement to ensure the safety of the employees. But what about homeworkers? Should employers support PAT testing for home workers?

Yes, employers must protect their employees from harm while they are at work, whether they are at the office or working from home. They have the same legal responsibility towards home workers as they do for employees working out of the office.

PAT testing is a process of evaluating the safety of electrical appliances and equipment, and it is important for ensuring that all appliances and equipment are safe to use. If not, there can be an increased risk of electrocution, electric shocks, as well as electric fires.

IMPORTANCE OF PAT TESTING FOR HOME WORKERS

PAT testing is an important part of electrical safety and must be conducted by companies for their home workers. Since electrical equipment can pose a serious threat if it is not properly maintained, PAT testing needs to be done to identify any potential hazards and ensure that all appliances and equipment are safe to use.

In addition to the safety benefits, companies may also benefit financially by supporting PAT testing for their home workers. Accidents and injuries caused due to faulty equipment may result in lost productivity and time and may also increase insurance costs.

Regular PAT testing can help reduce the risk of such accidents and injuries and prevent any downtime and added costs related to them.

Another reason why companies should support PAT tests for home-based workers is to fulfil their responsibility as good employers and protect their reputation.

The fact that the company cares about its employees and their safety makes the employees feel cared for and may increase their loyalty and level of productivity, compared to an employer who doesn’t care about providing a safe working environment for their workers.

It is also important to note that if an employee is injured while using a piece of office equipment that is not properly tested and maintained, the company could be held liable. This could result in bad publicity and damage the company’s reputation.

Keeping this in mind, companies that support PAT testing for their home-based workers demonstrate not only their commitment to the safety and well-being of their employees but also in protecting their business interests. So, it’s a win-win!

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN PAT TESTING FOR HOME WORKERS?

PAT testing for home workers typically includes a series of tests and inspections that are designed to assess the safety of portable electrical appliances and equipment.

The specific tests being carried out depend on several factors such as the appliance being tested, the manufacturer’s recommendations, and how often it is used.

Some of the tests included in PAT testing for home workers include:

Visual inspection: this is a basic test where the technician looks for any visible signs of damage and deterioration on the appliance. This could include damaged cords, loose connections, or any other type of visible issue.
Insulation resistance test: this is a specialised test used to measure the insulation resistance of the appliance to ensure it is functioning properly and is protected from electrical shock.
Earth continuity test: this test is used to measure the resistance of the earth wire on an appliance or equipment to provide an effective means of grounding the appliance.
Polarity test: this is another type of PAT test done for ensuring that the electrical connections on the appliance are correct in order to prevent electrical shocks and fires due to incorrect wiring.
Load testing: this is carried out to ensure that the appliance can handle the load it is intended to carry without overheating or malfunctioning.
Functional testing: this test is used to ensure that the appliance is functioning properly and safely.

In addition to the above-mentioned tests, PAT testing may also include checking the appliance or equipment for any potential safety issues such as missing or damaged safety features.

HOW TO CONDUCT PAT TESTING FOR HOME WORKERS?

If your employees are working from home, there are two ways to conduct PAT tests:

Conduct PAT testing at the employee’s home

This refers to a competent person, typically an electrical engineer, visiting the employee’s home and carrying out the PAT test there.

Test the appliances when employees visit the office

This refers to conducting the PAT tests on the appliances when the employee visits the office. They can bring along their appliances and equipment, have an engineer test them out, and take them on their way back home.

This is a more cost-effective solution compared to home visits, but it can be a bit difficult to coordinate and may require the employees to bring potentially heavy equipment to the office, which can be a hassle for them.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD PAT TESTS BE CARRIED OUT?

PAT tests need to be carried out on a regular basis to ensure the safety of the electrical appliances. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises all businesses to conduct PAT tests every 3 to 12 months. However, the frequency will depend on several factors such as:

The type of appliance: some appliances are more susceptible to damage and deterioration compared to others and may require more frequent testing.
The environment: the environment where the appliance is used will play a huge factor in how often it will need to be tested. If the environment is damp or humid or the appliance is subjected to rough handling, it will need to be tested more frequently.

WHAT CAN HOME WORKERS DO TO ENSURE ELECTRICAL SAFETY?

While PAT testing falls under the responsibility of the employers, there is a lot that home workers can do on their part in order to make sure their home office remains safe and protected from electrical threats.

To prevent electrical faults from affecting you and your home, we recommend taking some time to identify the risks and hazards and taking the required measures to minimise them as much as possible.

For starters, home workers need to make sure that all their electrical installations are carried out by a certified electrician so that they are in accordance with British Standards.

Secondly, it is very important to have the electrical wiring and installations periodically tested and inspected to rule out any potential issues that may cause damage down the line.

You wouldn’t want to connect your PAT-tested work laptop to a faulty outlet, would you? Not only would that damage the appliance but also result in electric shocks and maybe even electrical fires.

As recommended in the British Standard wiring regulations, electrical installations need maintenance and servicing on a regular basis to make sure they keep working as they should.

This can be done by undertaking visual inspections to full electrical testing carried out by a certified electrician.

According to the wiring regulations BS 7671, every domestic property’s electrical installations must be regularly inspected and tested every 5 to 10 years to rule out any defective electrical work and safety hazards.

If you are a landlord renting out your home to someone, it is your responsibility to get the electrics tested every 5 years, or whenever there is a change in occupancy, to make sure they are safe to use by your tenants.

Electrical testing and inspections include a visual assessment to identify any ‘visible’ signs of electrical damage and defect and to reveal any areas that need attention, as well as a detailed inspection to determine whether the current electrical installations are satisfactory for continued use or not, at the end of which an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) is made.

TIPS FOR ELECTRICAL SAFETY AT HOME

Electrical safety is extremely important to prevent fires, shocks, and other accidents. Here are a few electrical safety tips for home workers to follow:

Use a surge protector to protect your electronic equipment from surges as they can cause damage and even start a fire.
Avoid overloading outlets and do not plug too many devices into a single outlet.
Avoid using extension leads , especially for powering high-power appliances, and never run the cords under the rugs or carpets.
Unplug the appliances when they are not in use to prevent overheating and save energy .
Keep appliances at least 5 feet away from water.
Keep appliances away from flammable sources.
Keep electrical cords in good condition and replace any damaged ones immediately.
Test the smoke detectors as they can save lives in the event of a fire.
Regularly test and inspect all the electrical appliances in the house to avoid any electrical mishaps.
Seek professional advice as soon as you find any electrical fault . Avoid any DIYs as they may cause more harm than good.

By following these tips, you can help ensure the safety of your home and protect your electrical appliances from electrical damage.

CONTACT CALDER ELECTRICAL SERVICES

If you are looking for a registered electrician for the installation, maintenance, inspection, and rewiring of your property’s electrical system, look no further.

Calder Electrical offers a wide range of services to meet the demands of our clients. All our work is fully insured and we work to meet the standards set to us by the NICEIC to make sure all your electrical installations meet the current regulations and all the notifiable work is signed off by the local authorities.

We have been undertaking electrical work since 1976 and are specialists in the field. If you have unplanned issues within your home or business, we can provide a call-out service to rectify and solve any problems.

Anything from circuits tripping to loss of power, broken items that need repairing, distribution board and consumer unit upgrades , surge protection installation services , and much more.

Our team can generate a Visual Inspection Report (VIR) to identify anything visual that does not comply with the standards or looks unsafe, as well as a full Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) where we will identify and test each circuit to make sure they are not deteriorating and are safe for use within the current standards and regulations set by the BS 7671.

We can also provide PAT testing of appliances to make sure that any items such as kettles, computers, and microwaves are safe for use in the home and workplace.

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PAT Testing For Home Workers

Latest from the blog

5th May 2023

Posted by Simon Patchett in

Health and Safety

While PAT testing isn’t required by law, it is the responsibility of employers to ensure that any electrical equipment used by employees is maintained and is in a safe working condition. PAT testing may be included as a part of measures put in place by employers to make sure that employees and the wider public are safe from harm.

With the increase in the availability of flexible homeworking and hybrid roles, a larger proportion of employees are now working from home.

So, should employers be providing PAT testing for home workers as part of their annual testing regimes?

The short answer is yes. If your business has staff working from home, you still have a duty to ensure their safety – and that of any equipment provided for their use. If you PAT-tested equipment in the workplace, you must extend this to those working from home.

What Is Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)?

PAT refers to Portable Appliance Testing, a simple test to ensure that portable electric equipment is operating safely. It is a combination of visual inspection and physical tests that must be carried out by someone competent and trained to do so.

Who Is Responsible For PAT Testing Remote Workers’ Equipment?

PAT testing for home workers is the responsibility of the employer. They are responsible for ensuring all employees are safe when doing their job and it is their responsibility to make sure that all equipment issued to staff (whether in the office or at home) is safe to use.

What Items Need PAT Testing?

In short, any electrical item that is plugged into the mains needs to be PAT tested.

With the onset of extended homeworking hours, employers are providing more equipment to allow their colleagues to conduct their roles effectively.

Equipment such as laptops, printers, scanners, lighting, desktop screens and extension leads are being issued to home workers. All should be PAT tested to ensure safety.

Is PAT Testing For Home Workers A Legal Requirement?

So is PAT testing for home workers a legal requirement? There are a couple of things to consider here. Firstly, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and secondly, the Provision and Use or Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 requires that any electrical equipment with the potential to cause injury be maintained in a safe condition. The regulations do not, however, outline what needs to be done, by whom or when. This means that inspection or testing of electrical equipment is not a legal requirement, and neither is undertaking this annually.

However without sufficient evidence of inspecting and maintaining electrical equipment that is issued to staff, it would be difficult for an employer to prove they had effectively discharged their ‘duty of care’, and so PAT testing is the common and widely accepted approach to address this issue.

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998

Section 2 (5) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 refers to every employer being required to, “ensure that all work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order, and in good repair.” There is no reference to the location of the equipment therefore, the guidance for employers is unclear.

One way that a business can evidence that they have complied with the regulations, is by certifying that their electrical equipment has been inspected and tested by a trained professional. As mentioned previously, if an employer is PAT testing equipment at work, this should also extend to home workers.

In many organisations, PAT Testing is carried out on all appliances, including the appliances provided to employees such as laptops and mobile phone chargers.

Recommended Intervals Between Inspection & Testing

Below is a table provided by the HSE outlining the recommended intervals between inspection and testing.


Equipment Hire	N/A	Before Issue/After Return	Before issue
Construction	110V: Weekly 230V mains: Daily/Every Shift	110V: Weekly 230V mains: Daily/Every Shift	110V: Before Use On-site & Then 3 Monthly 230V mains: Before Use On-site & Then Monthly
Light Industrial	Yes	Before Initial Use & Then 6 Monthly	6-12 Months
Heavy Industrial/High Risk Of Equipment Damage	Daily	Weekly	6-12 Months
Office Information Technology E.g. Desktop Computers, Photocopiers, Fax Machines	No	1-2 Years	None If Double- insulated, Otherwise Up To 5 Years
Double Insulated Equipment NOT Handheld E.g. Fans, Table Lamps	No	2-3 Years	No
Handheld Double Insulated (Class II) Equipment E.g Some Floor Cleaners, Kitchen Equipment & Irons	Yes	6 Months – 1 Year	1-2 Years
Earthed (Class I) Equipment E.g Electric Kettles, Some Floor Cleaners	Yes	6 Months – 1 Year	1-2 Years
Equipment Used By The Public	By Member Of Staff	3 Months	1 Year
Cables & Plug Extension Leads	Yes	1 Year	2 Year

How Often Is PAT Testing Recommended?

Chris Hall, Partner at Lighthouse Risk Services said:

“There is no legal requirement for employers to undertake an annual PAT schedule. In fact, the guidance on electrical testing does not advise blanket PAT programmes covering all appliances.

“The guidance on the frequency of tests and inspections for larger items such as printers and screens suggests a formal visual inspection every two to four years. Where items have an earth, a periodic test is recommended every five years. The reality is that the majority of these items will have been replaced within the timescale recommended for inspection or testing.

“Best practice guidance that we pass to all of our clients would be to keep a schedule of all appliances issued to employees and ensure that bi-annual visual inspections are undertaken, along with a mechanism for defects to be reported back.

“Preferably all portable apparatus, including extension leads, should be identified by a serial number and recorded in a register.

“The register should indicate how often each item should be recalled for routine inspection and maintenance and someone should be appointed to recover each item on the dates due.

“The equipment should be marked so that it is clear to the user when its inspection and maintenance are due.”

“It’s also important to educate staff on how to properly use their electrical equipment, give them access to any relevant information and if required, provide training. Specialist training should be provided to any member of staff expected to maintain electrical equipment or to conduct any work needing electrical knowledge.”

How Can Home Workers Check Equipment To Ensure Electrical Safety?

While employers are responsible for ensuring the safety of their employees, employees also have a responsibility to ensure safety.

Home workers that are using electrical equipment as part of their role can conduct the following checks.

Use electrical equipment for it’s intended use. Adhere to the equipment’s user manual.

Conduct visual checks for faults before using the equipment

Is the cable frayed?
Are the wires exposed? Has the cable casing cracked or come off?
Is the cable a trip hazard?

Equipment Casing

Is the casing cracked?
Is the casing misshaped or warped?
Is there any discolouration on the casing? Does the casing display scorch or burn marks?

Plug Socket

Is the plug socket damaged?
Are the pins loose?

Environment

Are you using extension leads or sockets? Are they coiled or twisted?
Can you smell or hear anything unusual when turning on the equipment?
Stop and unplug electrical equipment if it is faulty and report any faults immediately to the relevant person.
Avoid overloading plug sockets and extensions with multiple appliances. Never chain extension leads together.
Don’t charge equipment on a soft surface. This can block vents and cause equipment to overheat causing a potential fire risk .

For further advice on your health and safety responsibilities for home workers, contact us to speak to one of our experts.

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Health & Safety

PAT Testing for Home Workers

With a large number of businesses adopting a remote-first approach permanently, choosing to work from home is an increasingly popular choice. However, it’s important that employers recognise that they have the same legal duty to protect the health and safety of employees who work from home. Additional measures will likely need to be put in place to ensure this, particularly to make electrical equipment safe to work with. One method they may use is PAT testing, and it’s important for everyone to be aware of what this is and when it may be used.

This article will discuss whether there are PAT testing regulations in the UK, the duties employers have surrounding electrical safety, whether PAT testing should be carried out for home working, and how workers might check their electrical equipment.

What is PAT Testing?

PAT refers to portable appliance testing, a simple test carried out to ensure that portable electric equipment is operating safely. Portable electrical equipment is any item of electric equipment that can be carried or moved around manually, whether it’s connected or disconnected from an electrical supply. Therefore, it includes a variety of equipment which home workers may use – computers, laptops, desk lamps, printers, etc.

PAT testing is an example of combined inspections and tests that are carried out if electrical faults can’t be detected by visual inspection alone. In particular, they are used for Class I portable appliances. PAT testing must be carried out by someone who is competent and trained to do these types of tests.

Are There PAT Testing Regulations in the UK?

PAT testing isn’t required by law in the UK; rather, it’s one way of checking equipment’s electrical safety. While there are no UK PAT Testing Regulations, employers have a legal duty to ensure that electrical equipment is safe under other legislation.

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers must protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of employees as far as is reasonably practicable. Ensuring that there are arrangements to inspect and maintain work equipment, such as portable electric appliances, in a safe condition at all times is included in this. Employers also have a duty to ensure that ‘suitable and sufficient’ risk assessments are carried out, as required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR). Again, as part of this, the use and maintenance of portable electric equipment should be considered, including for any home workers.

Furthermore, Regulation 6 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 requires work equipment to receive inspections and tests where necessary for maintaining its safety. The regulation states:

Every employer shall ensure that work equipment exposed to conditions causing deterioration which is liable to result in dangerous situations is inspected (a) at suitable intervals; and (b) each time that exceptional circumstances which are liable to jeopardise the safety of the work equipment have occurred, to ensure that health and safety conditions are maintained and that any deterioration can be detected and remedied in good time.

Regulation 6, The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation 1998

The frequency at which this must be carried out depends on several factors, so will be determined via the risk assessment, with consultation of manufacturers’ guidance, and any other relevant information. PAT is not legally required to fulfil this duty, but rather is one suitable way of doing so.

More specifically, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that any electrical equipment with the potential to cause injury is maintained in a safe condition. They do not specify how this will need to be achieved, or how frequently any inspections or tests need to be carried out, as this depends on the equipment itself and its usage.

How Often is PAT Testing Recommended?

The law doesn’t say how often electrical equipment should undergo PAT testing, including for home workers’ equipment. Instead, employers, or those who are competent that they have delegated the responsibility to, will determine how often equipment should be PAT tested. To do this, they should consult the risk assessment, refer to manufacturer’s guidance, information provided by the HSE, any specialist input, and anything else they identify as relevant and necessary to aid their decision.

While there aren’t strict requirements for the frequency of PAT testing, the HSE guidance ‘Maintaining Portable Electric Equipment in Low Risk Environments’ contains advice on inspection and test frequencies. The frequency of inspection and testing that is advised depends on the type of equipment, the environment it is used in, and how it’s used.

For example, the suggested initial intervals for combined inspection and testing (PAT) of desktop computers and VDU (visual display unit) screens is up to five years, unless the equipment is double insulated (in which case, PAT testing isn’t suggested).

Employers may determine that their home workers are at a higher risk of danger from portable or movable electrical equipment compared to employees who don’t work remotely. As a result, they may decide to implement a more frequent programme of PAT testing for electrical equipment used by home workers.

Who is Responsible for PAT Testing?

As mentioned, employers have a legal duty to ensure that any electrical equipment that has the potential to cause injury is maintained in a safe condition. This may include ensuring that PAT testing is carried out, if identified by the risk assessment as a suitable way to ensure safety.

If PAT testing takes place, it must be carried out by someone with the necessary knowledge and experience who has the right equipment for the task. They don’t need to be an electrician but the individual must know how to use the equipment and how to interpret the results.

It is important that all electrical equipment receives frequent user checks and visual inspections, including those which don’t need to undergo PAT testing. For simple, low-risk equipment, home workers will likely be able to safely carry out user checks themselves. Employers must ensure that workers understand and carry out regular checks on both equipment that they supply and any of their own personal electrical equipment used for work. If employers provide new work equipment for home working, they must ensure that it meets the electrical requirements for safety and that it comes with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Looking for PAT Testing Training?

If you’re looking for an awareness level of knowledge of PAT and will be conducting PAT Tests in a low-risk environment, our Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) course may be suitable for your needs.

Should PAT Testing Be Carried Out for Home Working?

Remote working can create more of a barrier to ensuring that home workers’ electrical equipment remains safe for them to use. However, employers must protect all of their employees from harm while they are at work. If electrical equipment isn’t checked and maintained properly, there may be an increased risk of electrocution, electric shock, and electrically-initiated fires. Carrying out user checks, formal visual inspections, and, where necessary, combined inspection and testing (PAT) of electrical equipment will reduce the risk of these types of incidents happening.

Employers are responsible for ensuring that any equipment used by their employees who work at home is safe and without risks, including electrical equipment. They have the same legal obligations towards home working employees as they do for employees who don’t work remotely. While PAT testing isn’t a legal requirement, it may be carried out on some types of work equipment as part of the overall electrical safety considerations.

Most employees won’t be carrying out PAT testing of their equipment themselves as they will not have the necessary knowledge and experience. Employers are responsible for putting in place a process to ensure that any electrical equipment that should be PAT tested, including the equipment of home workers, undergoes the necessary testing.

This may involve sending someone who has been properly trained to check the equipment periodically, or for the equipment to be taken to or sent to the office, or other workplace, where relevant.

As well as electrical hazards, there are many other risks associated with home working. This includes the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) from incorrect DSE use or poor manual handling, or injuries sustained from slips, trips, or falls due to obstructions. You can find out more about these and download our Risk Assessment for Home Working Template in one of our other articles, here.

How Can Home Workers Check Equipment’s Electrical Safety?

Employers of home workers have a duty to maintain any equipment used for work purposes. Employers must ensure that those who use electrical equipment have received sufficient instruction, information and, where necessary, training. Specific training will be required for anyone who maintains electrical equipment and that any work requiring electrical knowledge should only be carried out by someone competent in electrical work.

Home workers who use electrical equipment have a responsibility to help ensure safety, which involves the following:

Use electrical equipment for its intended use.
Stop using and unplug equipment immediately if it’s faulty. Report any issues or faults to the relevant person immediately.
Carry out simple user checks before using the equipment, as advised by their employer.
Consult the user manual that accompanies the equipment and adhere to it.
Switch off equipment and power sockets when not in use.
Avoid overloading extension sockets with multiple appliances, and never daisy chain extension leads.

User checks, or pre-use checks, should be carried out by the users of equipment before operation. It should involve looking for obvious defects or faults, such as damaged wires, and making sure that the equipment is safe to use. With some instruction, home workers will be able to carry out this type of check of their equipment. Our article ‘Can I PAT Test My Own Equipment?’ contains further guidance on how you can carry out a user check.

If workers notice that any of their electrical equipment isn’t working properly or is damaged, they must stop using it, unplug the device and then immediately alert their manager or supervisor. The manager or supervisor must arrange for maintenance and repairs where necessary.

While PAT testing isn’t required by law, any electrical equipment that is used by employees, including for home working, must be maintained in a safe working condition, and PAT testing may be included as part of this. Employers are responsible for putting in place measures which protect their employees from harm, and should provide employees with information on how PAT testing for home workers may be carried out, as well as how to carry out user checks of their equipment, to ensure the overall safety of electrical equipment.

Further Resources:

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) Course
Weekly Working From Home Structure: Free Schedule Template
Risk Assessment for Working From Home
Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

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Her favourite article is Guide to Alternative Milk: Food Safety, Nutritional Benefits & A Good Brew!

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Home Workers PAT testing

Home workers PAT testing – whether you work from home for an employer, or for yourself, this article may well appeal to you. If you have always worked from home, or changed to home working because of Covid, you need to be aware that it is still the responsibility of your employer to make sure the electrical equipment they provide with is safe.

If you work from home, or run a business where you are based at home and take equipment to other locations, this information is for you. Even though you work at home, you are still working so the Electricity at Work, and Health and Safety at Work regulations still apply.

In any workplace, equipment provided for use by others or equipment for use in others’ locations must maintain safe standards.

If you work from home for yourself, such as in a bedroom converted office then you probably won’t need your equipment testing unless your insurance company specifies it but if you have staff who come into your home office to use your equipment then you need it testing for them.

If you work for another company, and they employ you to work from home then you need to get the equipment tested, although your employer should be paying for it to be done. See our homeworkers blog post for more information.

Finally if you use home as your base but do your work in other locations then you need the equipment you take with you tested, and most probably the sites you are going to will want to see your PAT testing certificates. This would apply to builders and other tradesmen, mobile DJ’s and disco companies , singers, musicians, bands, and anyone else who takes electrical equipment into other premises such as hotels , mobile hairdressers going into care homes, etc.

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What is PAT Testing and Why Should You Do It?

Take a minute to look around and count all the electrical appliances you can see. From kettles you used to boil water for a cuppa to electric drills to computer printers. Portable electrical appliances are part of all of our working lives.

While we often don’t realise it, this equipment can be hazardous – causing both electric shocks and fires in the workplace. Every employer has a legal duty to ensure electrical equipment is in working condition. PAT testing is recommended.

But what is PAT testing and is it necessary? This blog will explain what it is and why it’s important to keep portable electrical appliances tested and well maintained.

What Is PAT Testing?

Portable appliance testing (referred to as PAT or PAT Testing) is an inspection of electrical appliances to see if they’re safe to use. A PAT test aims to prevent electrical incidents such as fires, burns and electric shocks. These incidents in the workplace can cause physical injuries and property damage.

A portable appliance test combines a recorded visual inspection with testing of the electrical equipment using special testing devices. This is why PAT Testing can also be referred to as Combined Inspections and Tests.

What Needs to be Tested?

Any piece of portable electrical equipment needs to be PAT tested. Suppose it has a flexible wire or connects to a power supply via a cable. In that case, it counts as a portable appliance.

Portable electrical equipment includes:

Desktop computers

Larger pieces of equipment like fridges, photocopiers, vending machines and washing machines also count as portable electrical equipment.

Wireless appliances like tablets and mobile phones don’t need to be tested but their battery chargers do.

PAT Testing Course

Our Portable Appliance Testing or PAT Testing Course provides the necessary information to understand and conduct portable appliance visual inspections and tests and takes trainees through the steps of testing and fail or pass criteria with a clear demonstration of the process.

What Does the Law Say?

PAT testing is not a legal requirement. The Electricity at Work Regulations state that you must maintain electrical equipment, and ensure it doesn’t pose a risk to anyone. This requirement is mirrored in other health and safety legislation including:

Health and Safety at Work Act
Management of Health & Safety at Work
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

The regulations don’t specify how you should meet your legal duty to ensure equipment is safe. However, the Institute of Engineering and Technology, or IET Code of Practice outlines guidelines for using the PAT testing process to ensure equipment is safe.

The IET Code of Practice is not a law, there is in fact no legal requirement to follow the code of practice or conduct pat. However, it is understood that if you are conducting pat, you are following best practice and meeting your legal obligations.

Types of Inspections & Testing

Let’s now consider several types of inspection and what PAT testing is.

Pre-use Checks

Anyone who uses portable electrical equipment should be trained to conduct a pre-use inspection every time they use it. This should be a general inspection to identify any obvious faults or problems.

A primary check will be looking out for signs of damage, cracks in the casing, burn marks and frayed cables – anything that looks unusual. Are the wires trapped under desks or pieces of office furniture? Are there any water hazards around the equipment?

Users must be made aware that if a fault is identified, the equipment must not be used. Put it out of use until a competent engineer can take a look at it.

Formal Visual Inspection

A formal visual inspection may need to be conducted more frequently than combined inspections and tests. They should always be recorded. It can be done be a member of staff who has been trained or an external contractor. This step can flag up most problems.

Any equipment being inspected must be turned off and unplugged before you start. Then have a good look at the following:

The plug – for signs of damage including, burns, bent pins, cracks and incorrect wiring
The cable – check for cuts, fraying, abrasions
The appliance – are there any cracks, burn marks, signs of corrosion or wear and tear?
The mains socket isn’t part of the PAT test but it should be inspected. Look for any cracks, loose fittings and signs of over-heating
RCD (Residual Current Device) – press the ‘test’ button to check it works. Check the operating current and look for any signs of damage
Environmental issues – overloaded extension leads, trip hazards, fire risks and water hazards need to be checked

The HSE’s guide, Maintaining Portable Electrical Equipment , will give you more details on how to carry out checks and what to look out for.

Equipment Testing

This step is done using a portable appliance tester. It’s only carried out by someone who’s competent to do so, has been adequately trained and has the correct testing equipment.

They must do a visual and a manual examination. A portable appliance testing device should be used. Earth continuity, insulation resistance and lead polarity must be tested. The testing device will show if an appliance passes or fails the PAT test.

If an appliance fails, it must be taken out of use until it can be repaired or discarded. If repaired, it would need to pass another PAT test before it’s safe to use again.

If it passes, a pass sticker that shows the pass date must be attached to the appliance.

Who Should Do the Testing?

PAT testing and any electrical maintenance work should only be carried out by someone trained and qualified to do so. Staff members can be trained to do PAT testing but ensure that the training is refreshed and the testing equipment used is well maintained.

What About Homeworkers?

As an employer, you can’t dictate how your employees do things at home, but you can consider their safety and guide them.

Now, this doesn’t mean going to each employee’s home and conduct PAT on all of their equipment. Instead, make sure that any company-issued equipment given to them has been tested. Keep a record of when you test so you can coordinate a re-test for when they are due to visit the office.

Develop A New Skill – Learn How to PAT Test

Our online PAT training course is designed to provide you with all of the knowledge you need to conduct these tests yourself. The course looks at the legal requirements for conducting PAT, what types of equipment require PAT and pass/fail criteria. The course walks you through the steps of conducting such a test, step by step.

To find out more, contact us today.

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Maintaining portable electric equipment in low-risk environments

Download a free copy - INDG236

It's a myth that all portable electrical appliances in a low-risk environment, such as an office, need to have a portable appliance test (PAT) every year. The law simply requires employers to ensure electrical equipment is maintained in order to prevent danger – it doesn't state what needs to be done or how often.

This revised leaflet explains the simple and sensible precautions that need to be taken to prevent danger from portable or movable electrical equipment in low-risk environments such as offices, shops, some parts of hotels and residential care homes.

It also provides examples of this sort of equipment to help you to decide what you need to do to maintain portable appliances in your workplace.

The guidance includes equipment in hotels etc, previously covered in HSE leaflet INDG237 which has been withdrawn.

This guidance has been updated with a minor amendment to the table of suggested initial maintenance frequencies in relation to standalone cables.

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What is PAT Testing and Who Can Do It?

From desktop computers in offices to power drills on construction sites, almost every workplace depends on electricity to function efficiently. But electricity is a double-edged sword. And while electrical tools are most of the time utterly safe to use, they still pose a risk for electrocutions and electrical shock injuries.

Roughly 1000 electrical injuries in the workplace are recorded in the UK every year. Sadly, approximately 30 of these are fatal. According to the Health and Safety Executive, the most common cause of the accidents is direct contact with an electrical charge, including poorly maintained equipment, specifically portable electrical tools.

For this reason, many businesses have their electrical appliances and equipment undergo PAT. You’ve probably heard the term several times but are not sure 100% what it means. Here, we are going to discuss PAT in detail.

What Does PAT Stand For?

PAT stands for Portable Appliance Testing. It is a routine inspection conducted on electrical appliances and equipment to make sure they can be used safely in the workplace and any other public environment.

PAT usually involves visual and electrical inspections. The visual test searches for visible signs of damage, such as cracks, dents, discolorations, scorch marks, and wear. Electrical inspection utilizes specialized PAT devices to detect some types of defects. The procedure includes earth resistance, earth continuity, and insulation resistance tests, as well as polarity and safety-switch checks.

There is a common misconception that all electrical items should undergo a full PAT test. Some appliances are subject to a thorough check, while others only need a simple visual inspection. The two factors that determine if an item should be PAT inspected are category and class. Category groups the items based on their type: stationary appliances, fixed appliances, moveable appliances, T appliances, etc. Class sorts them according to their risk level, with class one being the most dangerous and three the least threatening.

Class one items need a full PAT inspection because they have low insulation and rely on earth for protection. The group typically includes photocopiers, industrial machinery, freezers, toasters, irons, laptop cables, vending machines, desktop computers, phone chargers, and microwaves. Class two appliances, such as lamps, televisions, and lawnmowers, are safer because they are double insulated and need an insulation test. Low voltage appliances such as laptops, torches, and cameras fall under class three and are considered the safest.

Why Do PAT Testing?

The principal purpose of PAT testing is to ensure that electrical appliances are safe to use, thus minimizing if not entirely preventing accidents and injuries in the workplace. Exposed wirings and loose connections can cause severe harm, and in rare cases, lead to death. Unchecked electrical issues are also a fire risk, which endangers not only the employees but also the entire business.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states that employers are responsible for the safety and well-being of their employees in the workplace. Businesses are also accountable for any customer or visitor who might be on the site. Furthermore, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 requires all companies to inspect their electrical appliances and equipment regularly to ensure that they are safe to use. Failure to comply with the legislation can lead to severe penalties.

PAT in itself is not a legal obligation. However, it is one of the most efficient and trusted methods of checking the safety of electrical appliances and equipment in the workplace and other environments. As a result, PAT has become the standard means of complying with the legal requirements in the UK.

Lastly, many insurance firms require businesses to complete regular PAT inspections. Conducting PAT to maintain high levels of safety in the workplace will make the insurance company view the business favourably.

Where Does PAT Testing Apply?

Technically, all organizations that use electrical appliances in their place of work are required to undergo PAT testing, from private companies to health clubs and universities. Businesses are labelled as high, medium, or low risk based on three factors, the risk level of the environment, the type of equipment used, and who uses them.

Shops, hotels, schools, and offices, in general, have a low-risk level because electrical items here often stay in only one place and so are unlikely to be damaged. Hospitals, night clubs, beauty salons, and industrial buildings, such as factories and commercial kitchens, pose a medium risk as these are fast-paced places with a variety of appliances and equipment. Examples of high-risk environments are gyms, arcades, and other high traffic areas where the public can freely use the available electrical equipment. Construction sites, with their frequently chaotic pace and rampant use of hand-held tools, are very high risk.

Businesses that offer accommodations, including holiday rentals, flats, and even boats, also need to comply with the requirement, especially if they have class one appliances such as kettles, microwaves, and washing machines.

Although the legislation does not define the frequency of PAT tests, the rules state that the level of precaution taken should be equal to the hazard level of the place. Meaning, high-risk environments should have more testing. The HSE also recommends additional factors to consider in determining how often the items should undergo PAT check. These are the age of the equipment, frequency of use, foreseen misuse of the equipment, effects on any repairs, and manufacturer’s recommendations.

Who Can Do PAT Testing?

The legislation did not mention who should conduct the PAT test or what qualifications the person has, only that he or she be competent. The Institution of Electrical Engineers defines a competent person as having adequate knowledge of electricity and sufficient electrical work experience. Additionally, he or she should know how to perform a visual inspection, understand the precautions to take, and recognize whether it is safe for the test to continue.

Many companies and businesses designate one of their employees to undergo PAT training, as the course does not entail any requisite electrical credentials. Indeed, anyone who has completed a thorough PAT testing training course can be a PAT tester.

PAT Testing Training

Whether you are an electrician who wants to supplement your formal training, a building manager who aims to learn new skills or a landlord who oversees the safety of your tenants, you can be a certified PAT tester. All you need to do is complete a course online or one that’s facilitated by a qualified instructor, then pass a certification exam.

The training course covers essential electrical safety measures in the workplace and the main principles in electrical testing. It also teaches how to carry out visual tests and how to use various PAT devices, as well as understand the theoretical and legal features of PAT testing.

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Home Workers PAT Testing

If you are one of the lucky employees that has had your company provide work equipment so you can work in the comfort of your own home, you or your management may not realise that they still have the responsibility to ensure that your work appliances are to the same level of safety of those in the company office.

Whether your 'Home Office' is setup in your kitchen, bedroom or even in the garden shed, your management who has supplied the equipment is still liable for the safety and for the maintenance of that equipment.

If on the other hand your company is setup in your own house and you have one or even a few members of staff that come into your house and work alongside you, you still have the same amount of responsibility to ensure the electrical safety of any appliances that they may be intending to use whilst under your payment are at the required working level.

For both of the above examples NPT and many others believe that the best and most convenient way of keeping the 'Home Office' up to the relevant electrical standards, PAT Testing is the way to go. This means that the company in hand can organise for the testing to take place and can at the end be assured that they have met the required standards and that their staff are using safe and non-hazardous equipment.

At the same time this practice takes the worry and stress of actually performing and travelling around testing their 'Home Workers' themselves and at NPT we believe we can bring this service to you and your company at the best possible prices whilst keeping the professionalism and quality of work at the same level.

For a no obligation quotation of the costs involved in ensuring your business is fully PAT compliant, then simply complete the form on the right of the page.

Need more information?

If you have any questions about Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), the services we provide and the areas we cover, or your legal obligations under the Health and Safety legislation surrounding electrical appliances then visit our information page or our frequently asked questions . If you're still unsure or would like more information, feel free to contact us and we'll be happy to help.

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Industrial Homeworker
Instructions for Form WH-205: Application to Employ Student-Learners at Subminimum Wages

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations require that employers obtain certificates from the Wage and Hour Division authorizing the employment of homeworkers in certain restricted industries before the employment may commence. The restricted industries are those that manufacture:

Women’s appearel;
Knitted outerwear;
Gloves and mittens;
Buttons and buckles;
Handkerchiefs;
Embroideries; and

There are two different types of certificates:

An individual industrial homeworker certificate, which authorizes a specific individual to perform homework in a restricted industry because of certain circumstances impacting that employee's ability to work outside the home; or
An employer homeworker certificate that authorizes an employer to employ homeworkers in a particular restricted industry, except women's apparel.

Employer homeworker certificates are not issued for the women's apparel industry.

Instructions For Form WH-2 (Application for Special Industrial Homeworker Certificate) and Form WH-46 (Application for Certificate to Employ Homeworkers
Homeworker Handbook in Spanish (PDF)

Applicable Laws and Regulations

Law: Fair Labor Standard Act
Regulations: 29 C.F.R. Part 530

Small Business UK

Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

What are my legal responsibilities for homeworkers?

Small business owners are just as responsible for homeworkers as they are for in-office staff

A guide to a small business owner's legal responsibility for homeworker health and safety

An unprecedented number of employees are continuing to work remotely during the coronavirus pandemic. Small businesses new to managing remote staff are often unfamiliar with their legal health and safety responsibilities for homeworkers.

The migration to working from home (WFH) has presented many challenges for employers and employees. As companies have been forced to focus on business continuity, it is possible that remote workers’ health and safety will have been overlooked.

Legal responsibilities for homeworkers

Employers have the same legal duty of care for remote working employees.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the primary workplace safety legislation. The act makes no distinction between home and in-office workers.

The Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999 specifically states that “employers are responsible for the health and safety of homeworkers, as far as is reasonably practicable”.

The regulations require employers to carry out a risk assessment of their employees’ workplace.

The assessment should identify any potential risks so the employer can then seek to remove or mitigate the risk.

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents ( RoSPA ), the home is the most common location for an accident to happen.

Although most homeworkers will be working at home at a desk with a PC or laptop, health and safety risks must be considered more broadly. Risk assessments should also consider areas like electrical hazards, obstructed access and manual handling.

>See also: Remote working coronavirus: am I covered by home insurance?

How to conduct an ‘at-home risk assessment’

Employers should adopt the same approach to the assessment of home workers as they do to in-office workers.

It is not necessary to visit the employee’s home to carry out a risk assessment – especially during the lockdown.

HR managers can provide the employee with a detailed self-assessment questionnaire as part of a firm’s legal responsibilities for homeworkers.

If your company does not have one already, there are many free templates available online. The HSE’s display screen equipment (DSE) workstation checklist is a good starting point.

Employers should make every effort to support and guide the risk assessment. The exercise could be supported over the phone, but a video call will enable the HR representative to see the workers environment and give constructive input.

What needs to be assessed?

The employee’s work area should be well lit and ventilated and provide enough space to work comfortably.

Computer workstations should enable continuous use without discomfort or fatigue. The monitor should be placed at a suitable height, and the display clearly legible and free from glare or reflection.

Ergonomic peripherals (such as keyboards) and office chairs can also greatly improve comfort and prevent strain.

The risk assessment should also seek to identify:

Trip hazards: the workstation vicinity should be clear of obstructions such as trailing cables
Electrical hazards: ensure that electrical equipment and fittings are in a working condition free from damage such as frayed cables. The employee should understand the safe usage guidelines for any equipment you supply
Fire hazards: overloaded extension cords and dust-clogged heat vents are a common fire risk. Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers should be provided if necessary. A fire escape should be identified and kept free of obstruction
Manual handling: if the employee needs to move work equipment, it’s imperative that they undergo proper training to minimise the risk of injury
First-aid: the employee should have easy access to a suitable first aid kit and contact details of who to call in the event of an accident
Training needs: For example, if the employee will need to lift heavy boxes or move equipment, manual handling training will be necessary
Personal protective equipment (PPE): such as wrist rests and eye strain glasses
Special needs: is any assistive equipment needed for disabled employees?
Other home-specific risks: such as the presence of children

>See also: Should you be outsourcing health and safety for your small business?

Employee mental health

Employers also owe a duty of care to identify and minimise the risk of harm to an employee’s mental health.

Some workers flourish when working from home. For others, the psychological impact of isolated work can be insidious.

It is more difficult for employers to recognise stress, anxiety and mental health problems in remote workers.

Developing active communication channels and a means of maintaining virtual contact – such as through regular video calls and messaging platforms – can improve mental health in addition to productivity. Encouraging colleagues to leave video or audio channels open throughout the day can help emulate an office environment.

Employees should be informed about healthy work patterns. For example, research by the World Health O rganization found that taking regular breaks and incorporating exercise in between work sessions was beneficial for both physical and mental health.

Employer’s Liability (EL) insurance

The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 requires all employers to have EL insurance to cover the cost of any compensation paid out to employees in the event of an accident.

However, if a company fails to carry out an adequate risk assessment, it could invalidate the company’s policy if the employee suffers an injury or illness .

Revise your health and safety policy

Whether COVID-19 will usher in a new WFH world remains to be seen. At the time of writing the conversation has moved on to “getting back to work”. It seems likely that the number of people wanting, or needing, to carry on working from home on an ongoing basis will increase.

For some businesses, the logistical success of the unscheduled experiment may even prompt them to embrace WFH.

Making WFH work will require HR teams to approach the remote management of health and safety as an ongoing task. Adopting a more consultative approach will help to secure employee buy-in.

Risk assessments should be seen as more than an audit trail exercise. The process should consider the needs of the individual. A template risk assessment may be sufficient in the short term, but HR managers should consider a subsequent, more bespoke assessment for specific employees as part of their legal responsibilities for homeworkers once the dust settles.

Now may also be a good time to revise your health and safety policy to incorporate homeworking more fully.

Chris Salmon is a co-founder and director of Quittance L egal Services , a panel of occupational injury solicitors

Chris Salmon

Chris Salmon is a co-founder and director of Quittance Legal Services, a panel of occupational injury solicitors. More by Chris Salmon

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Legal and practical tips for employers on homeworking

This month on 19 May it is “National work from home day”. So what should employers be aware of if they want to facilitate homeworking? Akshay Choudhry of Burges Salmon LLP examines the legal and practical considerations.

National work from home day is organised by Work Wise UK, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at making the UK a more progressive economy by encouraging smarter working practices. Cutting out the commute by allowing people to work from home can be a win-win; offering opportunities for the employer to reduce/reallocate office space and, for the worker, the benefit of valuable time-savings.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 13.9% of the UK’s workforce were homeworkers in January to March 2014, up from 11.1% in 1998, and the proportion of the UK workforce working from home is likely to rise as employers increasingly recognise that flexible working, including homeworking, can bring benefits to their organisation.

More on homeworking

Line manager briefing: homeworking

Homeworking policy

Homeworking agreement

How to manage homeworkers

Good practice: flexible working

Homeworking may mean working exclusively from home, but the term “homeworker” can also be used to describe those who divide their working time between home and their employers’ premises, work at home on an occasional basis, or are mobile workers who use their home as an administrative base. Whatever the precise arrangement, there are a number of issues for an employer to consider.

Changes to employment contracts

It will normally be appropriate to tailor a standard employment contract in order to reflect any homeworking arrangements. In some instances, it may also be sensible to put in place specific policies to cover off some of the more practical arrangements.

Particular changes to the contract to consider include the following:

Place of work – if the employee will be predominantly working from home, the normal place of work will be the employee’s home, although the contract should also include a provision that the employee can be required to attend the office as necessary. There should also be a provision for what happens if the employee moves house – particularly if the move is further away from the office which may have financial implications for the employer (see “expenses” below).

Hours of work – specify when the employee will need to be available for work. For example, will the employee be required to observe strict office hours, have complete flexibility over when they work, or have certain “core hours” when they must be available. Will they be required to account for their time and if so, how?

Salary and benefits – you should take care that homeworkers are not treated less favourably on grounds of any protected characteristic. For example, if an individual is working from home because of ill-health and receives less favourable benefits than a comparable office-based employee, they may claim disability discrimination. Ensure, for example, that they have access to work related benefits (such as the staff canteen or workplace gym) even though they may not use them regularly.

Expenses – consider whether or not employees will be entitled to expenses for travel to the office or a contribution towards telephone, broadband, heating and lighting costs. Other expenses to consider include postal/courier costs, stationery costs and photocopying/printing costs. If certain conditions are met, payments by employers to reimburse employees for reasonable additional costs incurred as a result of homeworking can be tax exempt.

Confidentiality and data protection – this can be difficult to supervise remotely so include an express term to address what is considered confidential information and the necessary protections required (such as passwords, encryption, a secure filing cabinet, a shredder etc) and make sure data protection obligations are maintained. If the employee is using their own computer/phone ensure you have a right to monitor work communications on those devices.

Equipment – will the employee require specific equipment to perform their work? If so, who will provide and pay for this equipment and who is permitted to access it? Will the equipment need to be insured and, if so, whose responsibility will it be to arrange and pay for this?

Right to enter – do you want include a licence to enter the employee’s home (on reasonable notice) in order to install, maintain or service any company equipment, or retrieve it on termination? A right to enter may also help enable you to carry out risk assessments for health and safety purposes, although legal advice in terms of enforcing this right would be needed if the employee (or another person) was refusing entry.

Trial period – consider allowing the homeworking for a trial period, and include this in the contract, so you can assess whether or not the arrangement will work in the longer term. It is also worth including the right to require the employee to revert to office-based working.

There are also practical considerations to consider when agreeing to a homeworking arrangement.

Health and Safety

An employer is responsible for an employee’s health, safety and welfare so far as is reasonably practicable. This means that employers must conduct risk assessments of all the work activities carried out by employees, including those working from home.

Whilst most homeworkers will be doing low risk, desk-based jobs, you should ensure appropriate risk assessments are conducted both at the start of the homeworking arrangement and periodically thereafter. Consider how you might regulate stress levels, how to ensure rest breaks and other working time obligations will be met, whether specialist equipment is required or needs to be safety tested, first aid arrangements, and reporting work-related accidents. The Health and Safety Executive provides useful guidance regarding homeworking.

Generally speaking, there is no legal obligation on an employer to provide the equipment necessary for homeworking. However, it is advisable to consider this on a case-by-case basis – particularly where the employee may suffer from a disability and the provision of such equipment could be considered a reasonable adjustment.

Most employers will provide basic equipment at least. For example, most will want homeworkers to use only company computer equipment to ensure compatibility as well as maintenance of virus protection and other security measures. It may also be sensible to provide the homeworker with a dedicated telephone line.

If the employee will be using their own computer equipment, agree whether or not the employer should pay for its maintenance, repair and fair wear and tear.

Data protection and security

Carry out a risk assessment of the data protection implications of homeworking. This would include consideration of the following:

Who might have access to the employee’s computer?
Is the employee’s home adequately secure?
What rules do you have regarding encryption, use of passwords, and the transfer of data between home and office?
What rules do you have in place regarding the retention of data?
What measures should be taken against accidental loss, destruction or damage?

Reporting and performance reviews

Out of sight should not mean out of mind. Adapting your reporting and review procedures, as well as individual management styles, will be important both for the homeworker – who may otherwise feel isolated and without support – and the employer – as you will need to monitor the quality and/or quantity of the homeworker’s output and retain the relevant level of control over the relationship.

Consider formalising the contact that homeworkers should have with their manager (for example being required to report in at least once per day/week). You could also require homeworkers to attend the office for regular meetings.

Public liability insurance

Check your employer’s liability insurance covers employees working from home. Make sure your actions (or any lack of action) don’t invalidate the insurance.

Mortgage provider consent

Remind the homeworker that they must have consent from their mortgage provider to work from home.

The mere fact that an employee is working from home should not change their tax status – you should still deduct income tax and national insurance contributions as normal.

However, you may advise the employee:

to check any potential council tax liability as a result of homeworking;
that some of their homeworking expenses may be tax deductible;
that, in limited circumstances, they may be entitled to a tax deduction in respect of the expenses of travelling from home to the office; and
if computer equipment provided by the employer is used for anything more than “insignificant” private use, a tax charge may arise.

Working time

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Normally, time spent by an employee travelling to their place of work would not count as “working time” under the Working Time Regulations 1998. However, where the employee’s normal place of work is their home and they travel to their employer’s premises or to see clients/customers, this could count as “working time”. You will need to ensure that homeworkers do not exceed the 48-hour limit on their working week when travel is taken into account (or that they have opted out of the maximum hours’ cap).

The war for talent is alive and well and people are demanding to work differently. With employees increasingly welcoming the opportunity to work from home, employers that are able to offer this should reap the rewards from this competitive advantage.

Akshay Choudhry

Akshay Choudhry is an associate at Burges Salmon LLP .

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These are very useful tips and information, Akshay! Thank you!

Knowledge Hub for Growth

Employers’ guide: working from home.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic employers have had to embrace agile working and a new normal that comes with asking employees to work from home in order to keep them and others safe. Some employees will have already been set up to work from home and their roles will allow for this easily, and others will have had to significantly adapt as a result of Covid-19. Whatever the role that is to be performed, below is some general guidance from our employment law team you should consider, as an employer, when your employees are working from home.

Data protection

Disaster management planning, managing your team’s well-being, homeworking requests: considerations for now and in the future, what are the insurance considerations, practical considerations when your team is working from home, employment contract.

You will need to consider what should physically be in place whether in terms of documentation, equipment or processes before an employee is able to work from home. For example, an employee’s employment contract may not allow for home working , and so you may need agreement in writing from your employee that they accept this change, or you will need to give notice of the change and unilaterally impose it and record in writing when the change has been made.

Unilaterally imposing clauses into employment contracts can sometimes come with some legal risk, but in the current environment, at least a temporary change to an employment contract for this purpose is unlikely to represent much of a legal risk as it is in line with government public health guidance. If you are unsure about making changes to an employee’s terms and conditions, please contact our specialist employment solicitors.

Health and safety

Once an employee is technically allowed under their contract of employment to work from home it then must be assessed whether they are safe to work from home. As an employer, you are still responsible for an employee’s health and safety if they work from home and so a health and safety risk assessment may need to be carried out.

Again, during the middle of a pandemic it is unlikely to be appropriate to attend all employees’ homes to carry this out, but a video conference or other call to ask questions about the working environment at home and possible required adaptations to make this safe, might be prudent.

An employer will also need to ensure that employees have what they require to be able to work effectively from home. This may mean that specialist equipment or other home office equipment is provided.

It is recommended that regular communication is established to ensure that employees have all of the equipment they need to work as effectively as they can and so that supervision, mentoring and training of more junior staff can be effective and not leave employees with little to do or not knowing how to carry out work, and not potentially leaving your business open to delays and/or unhappy customers.

Where teamworking is essential, it is critical to get a platform to communicate that everyone is able to use from home. This is not only to complete work-related tasks, but to keep people mindful that they are part of a team and others are reliant upon them and they can rely on others in the team. This can be used to incentivise working together and helping to prevent isolation whilst working home alone, which is a position many employees may not have chosen and are new to.

Data which would usually be well protected in an office environment, may require new processes or software to be put in place to protect, for example, data covered under the GDPR.

You will also need to establish whether any additional planning or insurance arrangements are required and look at what the tax consequences of homeworking might be.

Advantages of your employees working from home

Provided that you have carefully considered homeworking and put the correct arrangements and processes in place there are potential benefits to be had by employees working from home.

Reduced office expenses

There will be lower office expenses if an office is not required or smaller or temporary offices can be rented as and when needed.

Managing work/life balance

Also, travel time can be spent working and making a useful contribution to your business and having more control over working times can assist with employees managing their work/life balance and can mean they can manage a school run and still contribute as much to your business without the stress of a commute, which can motivate employees to work harder.

Retain and recruit talent from further afield

Offering homeworking as an option can mean that you can recruit or retain employees from a different geographical region if the employee or the office is relocated. Employees who may need more flexibility due to caring responsibilitiesor temporary or permanent disability may be able to work or continue to work for you if you are able to offer temporary or permanent homeworking, as with the right technology and systems in place, teamworking will still be possible.

Thinking about and being set up so that your employees are able to work from home is a useful part of disaster management planning as it can reduce your business’ vulnerability to disruptions outside of your control like transport problems, adverse weather conditions, terrorist threats and pandemic.

Disadvantages of employees working from home

On the other hand, there are potential disadvantages to homeworking, which you will seek to try and avoid.

Loss of visibility

Top of the list of concerns for employers about homeworking is usually the loss of control over employees, whether this is in terms of the security of data or confidential information employees are using, managing and supervising employees or trusting employees to work productively when not being present at work.

Equipment expenses and data security concerns

You may also be concerned that your business may become overly dependent on technology, which could also be problematic if that fails, potentially leading to data security breaches or if one or more employees cannot get the technology to work for some reason. Employers will also need to ensure that employees have the correct equipment and training and can work safely at home, which will likely lead to extra costs and will probably mean duplication of equipment.

Whilst some homeworkers find it easier to gain a work/life balance, others may become lonely and isolated and suffer from mental health issues by not having a close-knit team nearby and may miss workplace facilities.

Far from the perception of some employers that employees are likely to become distracted and work less from home, there is evidence to suggest that in reality employees are likely to work more if work is at home as there is less separation between home and work. This could cause employees to become stressed and overworkedand so as an employer responsible for an employee’s health and safety, this will be more difficult to assess if they are working remotely.

What are the contractual considerations when employees work from home?

It may be that an employee’s contract of employment does not allow for homeworking and that sections of the contract need to be changed.

You will have to look at remuneration and ensure that homeworkers are given comparable pay and benefits to those performing a similar role in the office, if there are comparators, to ensure you are not leaving your business vulnerable to potential discrimination claims.

Clarifying your expenses policy

You should also be clear about what expenseswill be paid by the employer whilst the employee works from home. Homeworking expenses should usually include equipment, services or supplies needed to work from home like internet a computer, office furniture or stationery, as well as reasonable household expenses such as for additional gas or electricity used whilst working from home.

Principal place of work

Your employees’ employment contracts are required to specify the employee's principal place of work and if there is any flexibility for other places of work. If an employee’s principal place of work is to become their home address, you are likely to want to be able to require that employee to attend the office on occasion, for example, for training or team meetings, this should be made clear in writing in the employment contract.

Working hours

Working hours will also need to be made clear in an employee’s contract of employment. Specific or core hours should be stated when the employee must work and the level of flexibility within any working hours should also be set out in writing and be clear to both parties. As no one will oversee whether homeworkers take their breaks, the contract should make it clear that homeworkers are responsible for regulating their own working time and taking breaks as appropriate and in accordance with the Working Time Regulations.

Sick pay and holiday

Homeworkers should also have the same entitlement to sick pay and leave as if they worked in the office, provided that they comply with your business’ sickness policy and a homeworker is entitled to the same amount of holidayas comparable office-based workers. This is 5.6 weeks' paid leave if they work full time hours, which is pro-rated if they work part time.

Confidentiality

Whilst there is an implied confidentiality clause in every contract of employment, it is recommended that for homeworkers you include an express confidentiality clause in a homeworker's contract, making clear what information is confidential and how it should be secured.

A clearly and precisely written IT and communications policy can assist in setting out expectations and systems in place to deal with the use of IT at home as well as confidential information and storing this safely. If you would like one of our expert employment solicitors to draft or review your IT policies, please contact us.

Grievance and disciplinary procedures

A homeworking employee will need to abide by the same grievance and disciplinary procedures as office workers, but you may want to add specific and separate provisions relating to homeworkers, making clear that disciplinary action can potentially be taken against homeworkers if they use work time for domestic, family or other commitments.

A trial period for homeworking might be a good idea where both parties or one of the parties are unsure whether it will work in practice, and can assist employers in discrimination cases to at least make clear that they gave this option a go and did not dismiss it out of hand.

If a request for homeworking is made under a formal flexible working request , flexible working legislation does not provide for trial periods, but both parties could still agree to this. If you require assistance with a flexible working request , please contact our employment solicitors for specialist advice.

If homeworking is likely to be a temporary measure you should seek to make clear in writing from the start that you have a right to revertto office working. This might be useful if a trial period of homeworking is unsuccessful, where homeworking was to overcome a temporary hurdle (such as the COVID-19 pandemic), or if changes have been made to the operation of the business which now makes homeworking less effective or not feasible at all.

Even with this contractual right though, you will need to be cautious as there is still some legal risk relating to discrimination claims and there will need to be an objective reason as to why you would exercise this type of clause.

How do you appraise performance of a homeworker?

Homeworkers, like any other workers will also need to have their work appraised, this will just need to be done a little differently. Appraisals are used to reward performance and motivate workers by looking at what training and development needs they have and setting performance targets. Where a worker is in the office everyday informal appraisals can be provided by giving feedback on work in real time and allowing undesirable performance to be dealt with quickly and face to face. Formal appraisals are less regular and may happen six monthly or annually.

Homeworkers will require a different matrix for performance and a different method of being appraised, which it is helpful to discuss and agree in writing before homeworking begins. It should be made clear how work progress, involvement in projects, performance and expectations of both parties will be dealt with. It is likely that informal appraisals will happen remotely with the use of video conferencing as well as email and by telephone on an ongoing basis and formal appraisals may still be able to be held infrequently, in person.

Homeworkers should not be denied promotional prospects open to comparable workers merely because they work at home all or part of the time. There may be good reasons why such workers cannot be promoted to a particular position, but employers will have to show that a decision can be objectively justified if, for example, a discrimination claim is brought.

What are the data protection considerations?

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) you will need to take appropriate technical and organisational measures against unauthorised or unlawful processing of data that identifies individuals and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data . To ensure that your business is complying you will need to give specific training to homeworkers on their obligations and the procedures which they must follow.

Before allowing a homeworker to have access to data covered under the GDPR, you should carry out a data privacy impact assessment of the data protection implications of employees working from home.

You will need to ask questions about who will have access to the employee’s computer and the data stored on it and security of the computer when it is left alone. You will need to consider what measures will need to be taken against accidental loss, destruction, or damage of data. It is important to know whether equipment is password protected and passwords frequently changed and that there is safe transit physically and electronically of data between home and office and wherever else it may be required to be sent.

If there are paper files, it is critical to look at how securely they are stored and how they will be safely be disposed of when the data should no longer be stored. If you do not have evidence that you have made best efforts to protect data and put systems in place to keep it safe you could be heavily fined by the Information Commissioner’s Office and so if you have any questions about data protection, you should seek specific advice from an expert. Our Data Protection solicitors can help.

What are the health and safety considerations?

Even for homeworkers, employers must conduct a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of all the work activities carried out by their employees, to identify hazards and assess risk.

For homeworkers in particular, stress, isolation and loneliness may be issues that employers will want to address. Ensuring that the team remain in close contact together even if they are not physically in the same workplace, and putting measures in place to ensure this, is important.

As discussed above, a risk assessment in person, or if this is not possible by way of video conferencing to see the lay out of the home work space and assess hazards and fully discuss any issues the employee may have, is critical.

An employer is responsible for the equipment it supplies to homeworkers, but workers are responsible for their domestic supply, including electrical sockets and employers should make employees aware of this to ensure that nothing is missed when making the home work space safe. This includes the employer’s obligation to provide appropriate first aid kit and supplies - depending on their role, this can be basic. If a homeworker already has a basic first aid kit and this is all that is required, an employer could simply reimburse them or top up their supplies. If an employee does have an accident whilst working (even if this is at home) you should have a clear policy and reporting procedure in place for homeworkers, as all such accidents need to be reported to the employer.

Employers are not only obliged to provide employees with the correct equipment for them to carry out their work when they are working from home, but they must also ensure that equipment is safe, well maintained and inspected regularly so that it is in good working order. Employers must also ensure suitable and sufficient lighting is provided in the workspace, which may just mean buying an extra lamp or replacement higher voltage light bulbs in the case of home workers, upon carrying out a risk assessment.

How to deal with equipment requests

Whilst there is no legal obligation on an employer to provide equipment to enable homeworking, aside for in certain circumstances such as if a homeworker has a disability and the provision of or reimbursement for equipment may be required as a reasonable adjustment, employer’s may wish to provide equipment.

If employees use their own equipment, they may want you to agree that as their employer you will pay the cost of maintenance, repair and fair wear and tear on their equipment. If you agree to this, you are advised to ensure that the employee agrees in writing that they shall maintain the equipment properly, enter into any appropriate service contracts and replace it when necessary.

There are many reasons why employers will look past the initial costs of providing equipment to employees and will want to supply this. For example, you can ensure that your computer equipment and software is compatible if you supply it and you can install the proper virus protection, specialist software and ensure security measures are in place.

If homeworking is more than minimal, a dedicated telephone line and broadband/high speed internet access, a high-speed printer and, ideally, a shredder may also be supplied and agreement should be made with the employee that these are for business use only and may not be used by anyone other than the employee.

If there are structural changes to the house required, or if the employee’s house is used for wider business purposes requiring business visitors, planning permission may be required. Unless agreed specifically in the employee’s terms and conditions of employment there would not generally be an obligation on the employer to fund this and in the vast majority of homeworking cases, planning permission would not be necessary.

You will need to ensure that any equipment used for the employee’s work at home is covered by appropriate insurance. Employers should first try and cover the equipment under their insurance policy. If this is not a possibility, you should ask your employee to make arrangements to insure the equipment and provide evidence that they have done this, and if required reimburse them for any additional costs in doing so.

About our expert

Sally Gwilliam

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PAT Testing for Homeworkers

What is PAT testing?

What are the legal requirements for PAT testing?

How often is PAT testing recommended for homeworkers?

What are the dangers and risks of working from home?

The homeworking environment

Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

Supplying and maintaining DSE and other electrical equipment

Mobile equipment

Fire safety

Stress and mental wellbeing

Achieving a sensible work/life balance

Working alone

PAT testing for homeworkers

Who is responsible for PAT testing for homeworkers?

How can homeworkers check equipment’s electrical safety?

What are the benefits of PAT testing?

Final thoughts

PAT Testing Awareness

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Megan Huziej

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PAT Testing for Home Workers

WHAT IS PAT TESTING?

ARE THERE PAT TESTING REGULATIONS IN THE UK?

SHOULD COMPANIES SUPPORT PAT TESTING FOR HOME WORKERS?

IMPORTANCE OF PAT TESTING FOR HOME WORKERS

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN PAT TESTING FOR HOME WORKERS?

HOW TO CONDUCT PAT TESTING FOR HOME WORKERS?

Conduct PAT testing at the employee’s home

Test the appliances when employees visit the office

HOW OFTEN SHOULD PAT TESTS BE CARRIED OUT?

WHAT CAN HOME WORKERS DO TO ENSURE ELECTRICAL SAFETY?

TIPS FOR ELECTRICAL SAFETY AT HOME

CONTACT CALDER ELECTRICAL SERVICES

PAT Testing For Home Workers

What Is Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)?

Who Is Responsible For PAT Testing Remote Workers’ Equipment?

What Items Need PAT Testing?

Is PAT Testing For Home Workers A Legal Requirement?

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998

Recommended Intervals Between Inspection & Testing

Further reading

How Often Is PAT Testing Recommended?

How Can Home Workers Check Equipment To Ensure Electrical Safety?

Equipment Casing

Plug Socket

Environment

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PAT Testing for Home Workers

What is PAT Testing?

Are There PAT Testing Regulations in the UK?

How Often is PAT Testing Recommended?

Who is Responsible for PAT Testing?

Looking for PAT Testing Training?

Should PAT Testing Be Carried Out for Home Working?

How Can Home Workers Check Equipment’s Electrical Safety?

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