We are aware of the need to ensure that larger pieces of catering equipment are suitably cleaned, tested and maintained, both for efficiency and most importantly, health and safety purposes.  This refers to items such as fridges, ranges and combi-ovens.  It is equally important however, to make certain that smaller, portable equipment is compliant with current regulations.  The Health & Safety Executive states that more than 25% of all reported electrical accidents involve portable appliances, with approximately 1,000 major electrical related injuries reported each year.  These can involve burns and electrical shocks.  Of these injuries, around 30 are fatal.

Portable appliances are essentially, pieces of electrical equipment that can be moved easily from one place to another.  These can include microwaves, toasters, hand held mixers and electric carving knives.  Breaks in the appliance lead and wrongly fitted fuses are the most common offenders when problems occur.  Fitting a 13 amp fuse to an appliance that requires a 3 amp fuse can cause electrical failure and occasionally, an electric shock to the user.  In certain extreme cases, these incidents can also lead to a fire.

It is recommended that a thorough ‘Portable Appliance Test’ (PAT) should take place every 12 months as an essential and on-going part of any preventative maintenance programme, although this will ultimately depend upon the frequency of use and the environment in which the appliances are located.  For example, equipment in schools, restaurants and hotels will incur a higher frequency of use than those in a domestic setting.