Answer to Question 3:

George,

PAT stands for Portable Appliance Testing, which consists of a visual inspection of the appliance and its immediate environment, with an electrical test using calibrated equipment on all portable electrical equipment in your busy office.  This is not something I would suggest you carry out yourself unless you are a qualified electrician.  

All PAT test staff should be appropriately trained.  Test-failures are often due to the dangerous physical condition of an item (exposing electrical parts), the breakdown of the protective earth, or the escape of electrical current to the outer parts likely to be touched by the user.
Portable appliance testing is equally important in new items that may have been incorrectly manufactured or designed for a less stringent jurisdiction on another continent.  The breakdown, poor location or misuse of electrical appliances is dangerous and an accident could even be fatal. 

With regard to your legal obligations, you as the manager have a responsibility to provide a safe place of work for all your staff, this includes all portable electrical equipment.  You can be held responsible for an accident as a result of faulty equipment in the office you manage.

 The law requires that:

• All electrical equipment shall be maintained, protected and used so as to prevent danger.

• Regular preventative maintenance should be carried out to ensure safety of electrical equipment.

• Regular inspection of all electrical equipment including plugs, sockets loading, fuses, adaptors, extension leads and cables should be part of the maintenance programme.

• Electrical equipment should only be used in an environment and manner for which it was designed.

• Your company safety statement would require you to complete a risk assessment of all work activities and equipment including electrical appliances and circuitry.

Under the provisions of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, if it is proven that the Manager has not met his duties, it is presumed that the acts which resulted in the offence (example faulty kettle in the kitchen) were authorised, consented to or attributable to connivance or neglect on the part of that Manager.  On conviction on indictment for a serious offence, the maximum fine can be from €3,000 to €3 million or imprisonment from 6 months to 2 years or both.

When it comes to PAT testing the company Phoenix Safety use is PowerService.
They can be contacted through Dick Cooney in Ballintotis, Castlemartyr, Co. Cork, at 021-4667886 or Naas Road, Dublin at 01-6166786.