Pass and Fail Labels

Portable Appliance Testing, or PAT, is a method of establishing the safety status of electrical equipment in the United Kingdom. The wide variety of technologies that are available in these types of devices requires an appropriate response in the reporting and archiving of test information in order to provide a reliable record of an electrical device’s history as it pertains to safety.

Pass and fail labels are a part of this approach to record-keeping. These labels are designed to present an accurate and documented story of all equipment that relies on electricity to operate. The value of any PAT test label is dependent on its reliability and presentation to be able to inform each consecutive inspector of the current status of an electrical device as well as its past performance history. This information is the most important factor of the concept of using test labels.

The design of pass and fail labels is necessarily varied in order to accommodate the spectrum of types of electrical instruments, components, and machinery that are used in business. These labels must be able to protect not only the employees who work with and around the devices, but the general public as well. Consequently, pass and fail labels are manufactured in a variety of sizes, colors, and application designs.

The most commonly used type of pass and fail labels are generally square or rectangular in shape, and come with an adhesive backing so that they may be affixed firmly to the electrical equipment being tested. The information provided on these labels must include a minimum of the test result, such as “pass” or “fail”, the date of the test, and the identification of the testing entity. Most pass and fail labels, however, include more pertinent information, such as the contact information of the tester as well as the ID number of the appliance or other device being tested and the next required inspection date.

Variations in pass and fail labels also include types that can be attached to cables, such as power leads and component connections. These types of test labels are of a different shape that is more suitable to cable wrapping. They also come with an adhesive backing so that the label can be firmly affixed to the cable to prevent its loss due to handling of the cord.

There are styles of pass and fail labels that provide an added durability to further ensure resilience of the label. This is accomplished by the use of stronger label material, or by the inclusion of a laminating system that can be applied to the label after the test result information is printed thereupon. These options provide an added level of reliability to pass and fail labels, which is crucial to assuring the continued safe operation of the electrical device.

Additionally, there are specialized pass and fail labels that address other aspects of electrical equipment design and function. Larger industrial machines that are fixed in place will often have a visual inspection sticker, besides any other applicable test stickers that pertain to circuitry within the machine. This type of label addresses the environmental condition in which the machine is fixed. Microwave emission labels are also available for testing of those types of electrical appliances that use this type of power.