PAT Test Label with Barcode

The establishment of required testing procedures for electrical equipment was a response to the potential for fires and other hazards due to the increased use of these types of devices, especially in workplaces where chemical processing and other types of operations presented a higher degree of risk. Guidelines that were set down in the 1960s by the British government addressed the need for a method of testing, and of reporting, operational safety of electrical devices of all kinds. The invention of barcoding presented yet another option to address workplace safety.

The first testing platform became known as Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), although the correct terminology is In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. The “portable” aspect refers to certain types of devices as well as to the testing equipment itself, which is often portable in nature. Originally, test results would be posted by means of a simple placard that would indicate either a “pass” or “fail” result. This method has evolved over the years to include a more thorough means of testing and reporting due to the increased sophistication in circuitry as electrical machines and components became more advanced in design.

Eventually, PAT test labels developed into a variety of possible types that would be used according to the device as well as to the required intervals needed to maintain safe operation of the particular device. Certain electrical appliances would only require an intermittent schedule for testing with a simple pass or fail message. Others would require a more frequent and intensive testing schedule due to its use in either a more active mode or in a more hazardous environment. A PAT test label with barcode was introduced later to take advantage of the ability to store information through a barcode.

The barcode medium allows for a wealth of information and functions when applied in a testing capacity. Generally, information about the history of a certain electrical component or tool before barcoding would be kept in a log or journal, which would be hand-written or typed. Additionally, the test label affixed to the device would carry only the current information regarding test results and safety status. A PAT test label with barcode is able to store not only the past record of inspections and repairs for a device, but the specifications of the particular device that aid in its testing.

The advent of barcoding is especially advantageous in those environments where a great number of electrical instruments or tools need to be tested frequently, such as in a manufacturing plant or hospital. The use of a sensing device that reads a PAT test label with barcode, such as a hand-held wand, can save a great deal of time. Additionally, a barcode system allows for reading of a PAT test label with barcode that may need to be affixed to a device or a cable that is out of easy reach for the inspector. The label can be scanned easily and past and current information can be entered into a memory device.

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