Responsibility for the safe operation of equipment in the workplace rests firmly with the employer. Although the importance of portable appliance testing (PAT) in many industrial and construction environments is well understood, the same responsibility also applies to the range of electrical and electronic equipment used in the wider commercial environment. . Image 1, fugiat sed esse nulla dolor dolore aliquip eu lorem laboris With the HSE reporting around 1,000 workplace electrical accidents and 30 deaths each year, reducing the dangers associated with the use of unsafe electrical appliances in the workplace is of vital importance. Fires started by poor electrical installations and faulty appliances also cause many more deaths and injuries - and considerable disruption to business activities. The Health & Safety At Work Act 1974 puts a duty of care upon both employer and employee to ensure the safety of all persons using the work premises, but the particular legal requirements relating to the use and maintenance of electrical equipment are contained in the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR). . Regulation 4(2) of the EAWR specifically requires that all electrical systems be maintained, so far as reasonably practical, to prevent danger. This requirement covers all items of electrical equipment including fixed, portable and transportable equipment - essentially anything connected to a building's electrical system with a plug or cable.   Since the introduction of the EAWR, the EC Provision of and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992 (PUWER) also places general duties on employers and lists minimum requirements for work equipment to deal with selected hazards, whatever the industry. Adlitil Ltd PAT Testing Services in Sussex