PAT testing an old electric fire

[Station X]

A relative drew my attention to this contribution on a non-technical forum:-

(PAT testing is done routinely in the NHS and every large organisation each year to make sure that everything fits the "ealf n'safety" guidelines.) The man was round our office last week, (being paid more than us medical secretaries*), just putting a basic multimeter (circuit tester) on everything. It cost us hours of typing time doing patients' letters as our computers/printers were out of action for hours.... Oh dear.

(*We have to have high qualifications for our jobs, but according to him, he had none for his, just come from being a traffic warden, with a 2 hour training session!). {Might have to change my job, thinking about it....}

[ms660]

Sounds about right.
Lawrence.

A few years ago 'we' had a PAT testing done at work, the 'engineer' put nice numbered brass tags on the cables (duly recorded in his book) using a ty-rap. There where two problems, one if you twisted the tag a bit it cut through the cable and connected with one of the cores, also each IEC lead was supposed to be used with a particular device, you where supposed to keep the (universal) lead with the thing.

[Malcolm G6ANZ]

Graham, I used to work in the NHS as an electronic engineer. I also did PAT on ward equipment as it was 'portable'. We only did visual inspections of fixed equipment such as computer, monitors, centrifuges etc as they were not moved from place to place. The reason being that if the equipment passed the test when new and it wasn't moved during its life then it was unlikely to change.
For certain items we did a simple earth continuity test.
Malcolm

[Okto1984]

Toasters you can buy today have exposed live elements, and we don't usually expect people to touch them, it seems to be a well known thing not to do. So I suppose the view of electric heaters back then must have been similar. As it happens, some toasters don't have exposed live elements - mine has quartz tubes, so we can make them safer, but there doesn't seem to be much demand for it.

[dseymo1]

I wonder if the enhancement of heater guarding was driven less by concern for electrical safety than by cases of clothing catching fire on contact with elements?
I seem to remember that this was a major issue in the '60s, particularly with nightwear, and led to many garments being fireproofed. Some items are still labelled 'keep away from fire' though.

[whyperion]

Is there a present day standard for the spacing between guard frames on electric fires. All the fuss a few years back was due to jumble sales selling the (Belling quarter moon convector mainly) fires with worn braided mains leads and mis-wired or broken mains plugs rather than the finger insertion areas at the front of the fire. Modern fireplace fires seem to be quarz halogen ones with very little space for fingers (unless they are holding a knitting needle )

[kirstyd]

as a young ten year old curious boy i once stuck a knitting needle into our belling convector the shock threw me against the sideboard with such force that some of the crockery inside was broken .that was 50 years ago but i learned a valuable lesson that day and respect for electricity [another lesson was also learned when dad came home from work ] but as someone has already pointed out back then common sense was the order of the day and if you take a closer look at some vintage appliances its plain to see they are substantially better built than there modern counterparts .I reluctantly had to buy a new toaster last week as my 40 year old Morphy Richards finally gave up its ghost .I bought a Russel Hobbs on getting it out of its box i was shocked to find that if i squeezed the flimsy aluminium case i could make it touch the element needless to say i took it back .While were on the subject of vintage apps SHOCK HORROR i still use a non automatic electric kettle and a 60 year old vacuum cleaner .I can run the Hoover for an hour or two and it barely gets warm unlike its juice guzzling modern day counterpart