Seaward’s Apollo establishes a whole new approach to PAT

Seaward’s latest workplace electrical safety tester establishes a brand new approach to portable appliance testing. Uniquely, the innovative new Apollo 600 is equipped with onboard risk assessment tools to assist the user and ensure a proportionate response to the inspection and testing of electrical equipment. The new multi-purpose PAT tester combines electrical testing with sophisticated safety data collection and handling features, including an onboard digital camera, to help those involved in maintaining safety in the workplace to demonstrate compliance with all the latest guidance on inspection and testing programmes. In this way, the combined risk assessment and electrical safety inspection and testing capabilities of the Apollo have been specially designed to mirror the latest advice provided by HSE and the fourth edition of the IET Code of Practice for compliance with the Electricity At Work Regulations 1989, and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The new guidance stresses the importance of taking a structured approach to risk assessment for the determination of equipment inspection and testing intervals. This puts a new emphasis on the roles of the dutyholder and the person performing the inspection and testing in the determination of retest intervals and the management of test results. The Apollo is designed to assist in this process by combining all the electrical safety testing functions of a conventional PAT tester with an integral risk assessment tool and a digital camera to capture images for inclusion in risk and inspection records, and a retest calculation aid. The Apollo includes all of the electrical safety tests required by the IET Code of Practice including, earth continuity, insulation resistance at 250V or 500V, protective conductor current, touch current, IEC lead polarity and portable RCD trip time, without the risk of tripping the installation RCD. In addition to testing plug in appliances, the Apollo is fully equipped to test permanently connected and 3 phase electrical equipment as required by the new Code of Practice. For broader safety requirements, the new concept tester can also record a wide range of other health and safety inspections and tests, including fire detection and alarm systems, and emergency lighting checks, together with the ability to output a wide range of safety labels and test reports and certificates. All of this data can be linked with PAT results to provide a comprehensive workplace monitoring systems for health and safety matters. The introduction of the Apollo 600 is complemented by upgraded test results management software in the form of the PATGuard 3 program. The improved features of this high performance software include an intuitive user Interface that allows data to be downloading quickly and reports to be created easily. The software enables users to tag photographs to assets, sites, locations and test results with the built in universal risk assessment tool allowing full recording and reporting of hazards and any corrective actions needed. As well as comprehensive PAT reports, PATGuard 3 can also generate additional reports on health and safety matters, including fire alarm systems and emergency lighting. The new Apollo 600 and PATGuard 3 software are the latest additions to a comprehensive range of PAT testers, accessories and training materials provided by Seaward to help maintain electrical safety in the workplace.