Seasonal Electrical Equipment: Fans, Heaters and Appliances That Come Out of Storage
Seasonal Electrical Equipment: Fans, Heaters and Appliances That Come Out of Storage
Some electrical appliances are used every day. Others only appear when the weather changes, the shop gets busy, or the business needs extra equipment for a short period.
Fans, portable heaters, extra lamps, seasonal displays, spare fridges, event equipment, cleaning appliances and small plug-in items can all spend part of the year tucked away in a cupboard, stock room or back office.
The problem is that when equipment comes out of storage, it can easily go straight back into use without anyone checking its condition.
For small businesses, landlords and local workplaces, seasonal equipment is worth thinking about before it becomes part of the working day again.
If you are unsure what might need checked across your premises, you can ask Wendy, Thorn PAT Testing’s online assistant, for a guide before requesting a confirmed quote.
Relevant for: small businesses, shops, cafés, offices, clinics, studios, salons, landlords, letting agents, staff rooms, stock rooms, seasonal displays and workplaces using electrical equipment that is not in use all year round.
Seasonal equipment is easy to forget
The electrical items used every day are usually the easiest to remember.
A printer, kettle, coffee machine or card machine is visible, used regularly and likely to be included when a business thinks about PAT testing.
Seasonal equipment is different. A fan might only be used during warm weather. A portable heater might only come out in winter. Extra lights or display equipment might only be used during busy periods. Because these items are not always visible, they can easily be left out of appliance records.
Check before putting items back into use
If an appliance has been stored for months, it should be looked over before being used again.
Cables can be bent, trapped or damaged in storage. Plugs can get knocked. Casings can crack. Items can gather dust, be moved between rooms, or be stored in places that are not ideal.
That does not mean every stored item is unsafe. It simply means it is sensible to check its condition before it goes back into normal use.
Fans and portable heaters need attention
Fans and portable heaters are two of the most common seasonal appliances in small workplaces.
A fan may sit in a cupboard for most of the year, then be used every day during warmer weather. A portable heater may be stored under a desk or in a back room until winter arrives.
Because these items are moved, stored and sometimes used heavily for a few weeks or months, they should not be ignored. If they look damaged, smell unusual, overheat, flicker, buzz or behave strangely, they should be removed from normal use. Our guide Damaged Electrical Appliances at Work: When Should You Stop Using Them? explains this in more detail.
Seasonal displays and extra lighting
Shops, cafés, salons and customer-facing premises often use extra lighting or displays at certain times of year.
This might include display lamps, window lighting, decorative plug-in items, illuminated signs, small screens, speakers or equipment used for temporary displays.
These items may only be used occasionally, but they are still electrical equipment being used in the premises. If they plug in and support the business, they should be considered as part of the appliance record.
Extra fridges, freezers and event equipment
Some businesses use extra equipment during busy periods.
A café may use an additional fridge or freezer. A florist may use extra cooling equipment. A small shop may bring out seasonal display lighting. A studio may use extra speakers or lamps for events. An office may use temporary fans or heaters during certain months.
If equipment is brought back into use after being stored, moved or used elsewhere, it is worth checking it and making sure it is included in the next PAT testing visit where appropriate.
Stock rooms and cupboards are where items get missed
Seasonal appliances are often kept out of sight.
They may be on a high shelf, under a counter, in a cupboard, in a stock room, behind reception, or in a staff area. Because they are not part of the normal daily setup, nobody thinks about them until they are needed again.
Before a PAT testing visit, it is worth checking those storage areas. Our guide What Should You Do Before a PAT Testing Visit? explains how a quick walk round can help avoid missed items.
Staff rooms often collect occasional-use items
Staff rooms and back rooms are common places for seasonal appliances to end up.
A fan might be shared between staff during summer. A small heater might sit near a desk in winter. A spare kettle, microwave, charger or lamp might be kept in the back because it is useful now and again.
These informal items are still part of the electrical equipment being used on site. I have covered this wider staff-area point in PAT Testing for Staff Rooms: Kettles, Microwaves and Everyday Equipment.
Landlord properties can have seasonal items too
Seasonal equipment is not only a workplace issue.
A landlord may supply a portable heater, fan, lamp, vacuum cleaner or other movable appliance as part of a rental property. These items may be used at certain times of year and ignored at others.
For landlords and letting agents, the focus should stay on portable or movable electrical appliances supplied by the landlord for tenant use. Thorn PAT Testing has more information on landlord PAT testing and letting agent PAT testing.
Do not rely on memory
Seasonal items are exactly the sort of appliances that fall out of memory.
They may not be visible during a previous visit. They may be added after the report was created. They may only appear when the weather changes or the business has a specific need.
A simple appliance list helps keep track of what is on site, including items that are not in use every day. Our guide Why Small Businesses Should Keep an Appliance List explains why this can make future checks easier.
New, borrowed or second-hand seasonal equipment
Seasonal equipment is sometimes bought quickly, borrowed, reused or taken from storage without much thought.
That can include new fans during hot weather, extra heaters during winter, borrowed display lights, second-hand fridges, or equipment used for a short-term event.
New equipment should still be visually checked before use, and second-hand or previously used equipment may need closer attention. Our guide Do New Appliances Need PAT Testing Straight Away? covers this in more detail.
Annual PAT testing keeps the routine simple
Seasonal appliances are a good example of why a simple annual routine can help.
Rather than trying to remember every item that comes out of storage, every appliance added during the year, and every temporary piece of equipment used for a short period, an annual PAT testing visit gives the business a clear point to update the record.
For many small businesses, landlords and letting agents, that is easier than trying to manage lots of informal notes and reminders separately.
Ask before the visit if you are unsure
If you are unsure whether seasonal equipment should be included, it is better to ask before the visit rather than leave it hidden away.
A quick conversation can help decide what is relevant, what should be accessible, and what might need to be checked as part of the normal appliance record.
Wendy can help you think through your premises, likely appliance count and guide price before Nick confirms the final details.
Thorn PAT Testing’s approach
Thorn PAT Testing provides local PAT testing for small businesses, landlords, letting agents and workplaces across Glasgow, Bearsden, Milngavie and East Dunbartonshire.
The service includes visual inspection, testing where required, pass/fail labelling where suitable and a digital report for your records.
If your business uses seasonal equipment, fans, heaters, temporary displays or appliances that spend part of the year in storage, it is worth making sure they are included in your appliance records where relevant.
Unsure about seasonal equipment?
If your workplace uses fans, heaters, temporary displays or appliances that come out of storage, Wendy can help you think through your premises, likely appliance count and guide price before you request a confirmed quote.
You can view the main PAT testing service information, check current pricing, or ask Wendy online.
Ask Wendy for a Guide Price