Please note: Stage Electrics are closed between the 29th and 1st of April for Easter. Any orders placed after 1pm on the 28th will be dispatched on the 2nd when we reopen. 

Got More Questions? Speak with our team.

Power Switch with Safety Padlock
Why do I need my technical equipment serviced and maintained regularly?

Inspection and Testing is a bit like an MOT for a car. It helps spot what may be right, wrong or even unsafe. Planned Preventative Maintenance is more like an annual service and is designed to extend the life of your equipment and reduce the chances of costly breakdowns. The best time to get equipment inspected, tested and serviced is before it stops working.


Why do I need my performance lighting system electrically tested?

Electrical installations should have a valid Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) in accordance with BS7671 and be inspected periodically. Guidance suggests systems used for entertainment and performance have a regular testing programme.  It’s likely licensing    for entertainment purposes from your local authority and insurers will also require you to have your specialist systems regularly inspected and tested.


EICR Test on Dimmer Board
How often do I need to have the performance electrical system tested?

It’s good practice to have a periodic inspection approximately every twelve months. Licensing authorities, education authorities and insurance companies often stipulate how often they want a new periodic inspection certificate. Commonly, this is 12 months.


Why do I have to have technical equipment PAT (Portable Appliance Test) tested?

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (understandably second only in popularity to Fly Fishing by JR Hartley) require that any electrical equipment which has the potential to cause injury is maintained and kept in a safe condition. A good way to decide if your electrical equipment is safe or would benefit from maintenance is to have your equipment inspected and tested regularly.


Visual PAT test on Stage Lighting
How often do I need to PAT Test?

There is no definitive answer to this question, but it is something that you should risk assess. Given the relatively high-risk nature of equipment used in performing arts, Stage Electrics recommends technical kit should be inspected and tested every year. 


Can my normal PAT testing company test this specialist equipment?

We’ll be honest – the equipment used for the test is pretty much the same.   But ours is in the hands of specialist technicians with a background in the sector that you work in. And   who understand that PAT testing an expensive piece of critical equipment needed for that night’s performance is different from checking the office toaster. Because our engineers often build or repair the very equipment they are checking, they can spot 90% of faults without even hooking up any testing kit. This is the main reason we believe testing and inspecting specialist gear is best left to a specialist company.


6 Way Dimmer Rack at School
Can you help with Preventative Maintenance?

Yes, we can. There’s nothing worse than equipment breaking down just before or, worse still, precisely when it’s needed. Preventative Maintenance is key to stopping your drama production turning into a crisis.


We have equipment that is used for lifting or lowering performance equipment. Does this need to be tested and how often?

All lifting equipment needs to be inspected regularly. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998 covers any equipment used at work for lifting or lowering loads. They stipulate several criteria must be met including the annual inspection of lifting and lowering equipment by “a competent person”. Very much like us. 


LOLER regulations also apply to all lifting accessories and any attachments used for supporting the equipment.


Lanterns hanging from overhead bar awaiting inspection
We have fixed equipment overhead on our stage - does this have to be inspected?

Yes, under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) this equipment must be kept in a suitable condition for use. Plus, it must be inspected by a competent person with records of those inspections kept. 


 We have the equipment but we don’t know how to use it. Can you help? 

No problem. We can organise training sessions as part of a planned preventative maintenance programme to make sure you and your colleagues know how to use your equipment and how to troubleshoot issues quickly if a problem arises.


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