Maintenance

[BBoy-Gnash]

Other than the annual PAT test how often do you lot maintain you’re kit?

I know there are the obvious things like inspecting kit prior to sending it out and there are other considerations like how often it is used but are there guidelines for this?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Other than the annual PAT test how often do you lot maintain you’re kit?

I know there are the obvious things like inspecting kit prior to sending it out and there are other considerations like how often it is used but are there guidelines for this?

No guidelines, 'cos as you said it depends how often it goes out. I think a bit of common sense prevails for this.

[waxintaxin]

Yes
all the frequency of inspection and testing should be generated from your risk assesment.this is based on the things that you have mentioned like frequency of use , type of use and type of equipment

your equipment register should show the frequency and HSE do have guidelines as to the freq of visual , formal and pat testing.

as a rule i visualy check everytime i use them, formaly check every 3 months and Pat yearly, however if you dont record this info and stick to it, you are as open to prosecution as if you didnt do it

HSE offer and supply free guidance notes on portable appliances and electricity at work

but remember that all of this is only part of your H&S policy , Risk assesments , method statements and your actual policy make up the rest.

Health and safety is a bit of a strange law requiring some user desisions to be made,as to the type and freq of testing, there is no law dictating to u to test at certain freq only that you should test based on the findings of your risk assesment.

Rich

[DMX Will]

I think the biggest things to look out for are:

- Stretched cables, where too much tension has been put on a cable either extension or tailing from a peice of equipment. You should not be able to see the individual cores of a cable!

- Broken/Cracked/Defaced case and or plug

- Static shocks from equipment tends to show it's not earthed, although isn't always the case.

Regarding Risk Assements, has anyone actually got a standardised one that I could have a look at? I mean I've dealt with them before, just not for a disco enviroment.

[BBoy-Gnash]

Yes
all the frequency of inspection and testing should be generated from your risk assesment.this is based on the things that you have mentioned like frequency of use , type of use and type of equipment

your equipment register should show the frequency and HSE do have guidelines as to the freq of visual , formal and pat testing.

as a rule i visualy check everytime i use them, formaly check every 3 months and Pat yearly, however if you dont record this info and stick to it, you are as open to prosecution as if you didnt do it

HSE offer and supply free guidance notes on portable appliances and electricity at work

but remember that all of this is only part of your H&S policy , Risk assesments , method statements and your actual policy make up the rest.

Health and safety is a bit of a strange law requiring some user desisions to be made,as to the type and freq of testing, there is no law dictating to u to test at certain freq only that you should test based on the findings of your risk assesment.

Rich

I have got to say, what an interesting post.

I have never considered risk assessments, we always survey new venues but we never put forward a written risk assessment.

I also would be interested in seeing one if anybody has a generic one to look at. I think we will also be scheduling quarterly on equipment from now on.

My main reason for asking the question in the first place was because we had an almost new Datamoon which ceased to light up and the reason was the wire became dislodged from the lamp holder.

Now this was about 6 months away from a PAT test and had only ever been used in a clean environment, hence why it was only ever visually inspected but it had a serious fault. :eek:

[flatliners]

i inspect my gear every time i use it because i am a one man band i dont put more than one show out because basically i dont really trust other dj thats why i wouldnt have more than one show when people ring up and book my disco they get me and me only not one of several djs from some company that is more bothered about more work or being the biggest in there area