Pat testing

[Isittrue]

I hope someone can answer my question about pat testing, I've tried looking online but cannot find anything relevant to my question.

I belong to a sewing group who meet monthly at a community centre.

Due to budget cuts the centre is no longer run by the local council and is now run by a committee of volunteers.

The committee is now saying that we must have our sewing machines pat tested and that if we don't then we cannot take our machines in to use.

These are privately own machines which are not left in the building and the sewing we do is for our own pleasure, so it's not as though we are running a business using their premises. Can they insist that our machines are pat tested or are they interpreting the rules incorrectly.

Thank you

If the machines are not tested and someone (not the owner of the machin) suffers an electric shock they could potentially be liable.
A PAT testing electrician would probably do all your machines for about £35 would it be worth it to put it to bed?

Thanks Lone, nobody uses anyone else machine, so the chance of a shock from someone elses machine is low.

There's only 6 of us in our group,and £35 is a big expense for us. Might have to find a new home for us all

I work for a charity and none of our electrical equipment is PAT tested as it's too expensive so perhaps there's a loophole somewhere? I'd really rather it was, but they don't have to have it done, apparently.

If you don't PAT you should have an individual who does a visual inspection of every piece of equipment every month signing that visually it is okay.

The £35/40 that seems to be the charge round here covers testing around 100 items. Perhaps it would be worth speaking to the centre committee and asking if there are other groups who need items tested - maybe even the centre itself and then you could group together to bring the cost down.

I went to an adult learning sewing class and they asked us to buy and use a circuit breaker plug. It cost a few pounds. I wonder if this would be a good compromise?

It might be their insurance company insisting on 'professional certification' - I've just had mine done, never needed it in local gov buildings, but parish council hall is a different story!

As long as its in the terms of the room rental they can insist on whatever they want to!