What do Test and Service Labels tell you?

What do Test and Service Labels tell you? 

Test and service labels declare if an appliance is fit for purpose. Service stickers are illustrative for whether an appliance is verified safe to use or potentially dangerous.

• What are PAT testing labels?

Portable Appliance Testing stickers are used to determine how safe it is to use an electrical appliance. They are created to ideally fit on to main plugs. However, if appliances are detachable, PAT labels can be stuck onto the main body where they can be visually noticed.

• Where could you find a service label within your business?

Although component test labels are heavily dependent on the industry, test and service labels are important for the safe use of electrical equipment, so at work, you might have one on your monitor, laptop or printer.

• How effective are these labels and stickers?

The initial test of electrical appliances is performed by a Health and Safety Executive who is qualified in ensuring equipment is safe to use. It is the responsibility of this competent person to identify the working condition of the appliance and whether it passes the test or fails. If it fails, there should be a red “FAIL” sticker applied to either the mains or the body of the device. If a red sticker is applied, the appliance should be taken away or at least, the use of it should be condemned immediately!

• What do the stickers include and why are they so necessary?

All test and service labels must include the following:

• Date the appliance was tested/serviced
• Result of any test carried out (usually PASSED OR FAILED)
• Who carried out the test.

A reliable service sticker incorporates the above information because it is highly important to have appliances serviced regular- promoting safety in the workplace! If you notice a green sticker has an expired due date, you must draw it to the attention of someone who can organise for the equipment to be tested. It is advisable that you don’t use the equipment until you can guarantee it is not dangerous!

However, some stickers include more detail for instance, “Appliance ID” and “Engineer” this is suitable for larger companies who have many different appliances and are required to keep a record of any faulty equipment. What happens if a sticker falls off an appliance, how do you know whether it has been tested and is safe to use? You may want to keep a separate record of all PAT tests so you can clearly identify appliances if you are being inspected by health and safety regulators.

Labels vary in size but what do we have to offer at Label Bar?

Label Bar has a wide choice of colours available for our service labels. Perhaps you need a heavy-duty label? We have a range of test labels and stickers that are visual and simple to understand. We also have tuff tags which are suitable for harsh environments- e.g. if there are lots of cables it can be difficult to correctly locate the source to the appliance.

In addition to this, Label Bar has a customisation service which enables you to personalise your stickers; by adding a logo, company name and number.

To browse our full range of Testing Labels and Stickers, CLICK HERE!