PAT Testing

Eco friendly cover at least...

Good question, a few recent studies (you can find a good account here) have said the Kindle isa better environmental alternative to buying real paper books. I’m inclined to think it may be true using Barclay’s first law which is simply cost. The cost of something is, discounting tax and maybe the less said about that the better, largely made up of two things, people’s time to design it, make it and sell it and the raw materials (including the usually petroleum derived energy) used to manufacture and transport it. Remember people are very environmentally unfriendly, consuming resources and exhaling CO2 at a more or less constant rate. Barclay’s first law states that the more you pay for an object the more it is likely to have cost the environment. Just a rule of thumb, but using it I equate my Kindle, price wise, with maybe a dozen or so books.

But wait a minute. What bit of the environment are we worried about and why? If we are concerned mostly with green-house gas then perhaps we should reconsider. If I cut down a tree which has trapped tons of carbon, the CO2 cost depends on what I do next. Worst of all must be to burn it and not plant another one. However if I make the tree’s carbon into books, store my valuable volumes carefully AND plant a new tree, the CO2 cost might just be negative. We have a net reduction of atmospheric CO2 and now the Kindle doesn’t look so good.

The key question now becomes ‘how much energy is used in the manufacture of the Kindle device compared to the books?’ and here’s the problem for books made of paper, it may only be a fifth of the total carbon used in the manufacture that’s actually sequestered in the pages. The rest is turned into CO2 during the manufacture and transportation. So can I take up my Kindle again with a satisfied smile? Not so fast. These days we have some say about our fuel sources, maybe I can choose to pay a bit extra for a green-energy manufactured book transported by an electric truck (green sourced electrons) and I’m back to a net sequestration of CO2. Breaks my first law this extra cost but it may be an exception. Then there are the other impacts of even sustainable paper production, (lack of) bio-diversity in managed forests and waste products of production, a good discussion can be found at lovelyasatree.com.

I don’t think we are at the end of the debate yet and some sharp eyed people out there will spot issues I have overlooked. Working out what is green and what is heating the planet can be horribly complex. Still I really don’t think you should feel bad about buying a Kindle. Hmm then you have to get a case to stop it getting damaged – after all it needs to last – buying a new one every year would not help the environment, though it might help Amazon’s bottom line. Have a look round at the case material alternatives, Neoprene, Silicone, Leather…. uh-ho this isn’t sounding so good – but hold it, there is a green alternative here, hemp! Take a look at these Kindle covers from UK based design house Tuff-

Luv.

PAT Testing has emerged as a new growth area for electrical contractors recently because of legal work and electrical requirements.

Lots of employees without electrical training, such as maintenance employees and janitors, are also being put forward by their employers to perform electrical safety testing.

Electric shocks caused by electric appliances or electrical installations could lead to injuries from falls. Badly installed or faulty equipment put employees in danger as they may result in fires and give electric shocks. Despite all of this the recommended PAT test methods and practises aren’t needed by law they are basically methods of best practise.

Electricity at Work Regulations place a legal responsibility on employers, employees and the self employed to comply with the provisions of the regulations and take reasonably practicable steps to ensure that no danger comes from the use of such equipment. Many companies implement a program of maintenance, inspection and testing of portable equipment.

Training courses will teach you pat testing procedures and how to use PAT testing equipment. Once training is complete the student will be able to test safely and without harm to others.  Special training in the testing of delicate computer equipment and appliances with mains filters would be required for some roles.

A PAT testing training course will consist of learning the legal aspects, hazard training, user checks, visual inspections, fuse types, construction of different class portable appliances, power tools and extension leads.