Members from Belfast Tool Library, Banbridge Men’s Shed, and Portadown Men’s Shed recently came together at the Belfast Tool Library for a successful, hands-on Practical PAT Testing Workshop.
Delivered by Mervyn McNeill, an experienced electrical engineer and volunteer from Hope 365, the session provided participants with a bridge between online theory and practical pat testing. Members worked directly with testing equipment, conducted
visual inspections, and practiced how to log results of the tests.
Putting Safety into Practice For community organisations involved in tool lending, repair cafes, and item reuse, ensuring electrical safety is essential. During the interactive two-hour session,
members:
Gained practical confidence using PAT testing machines on real tools and electrical equipment.
Learned how spot visual defects, test earth bond and insulation resistance, and interpret test results.
Discussed record keeping and labelling to ensure ongoing compliance in their respective workshops.
The Power of Networking: Resource Sharing
While the practical skill building was invaluable, the highlight of the day was the fantastic networking and collaboration that developed among the groups. Over a cup of tea breaks and during the training, members from Belfast Tool Library, Banbridge Men’s Shed, and Portadown Men’s Shed discussed their ongoing projects
and identified surplus supplies across their workshops. Embodying NIRNs core vision of circularity and community solidarity, the groups agreed to set up resource sharing connections, promising to pass along spare tools, timber/wood, and other unused items to help support each other and local initiatives. This workshop demonstrated that technical training sessions double as a powerful tool for inter-organisational partnership and community resilience. A special thanks to Mervyn for sharing his expertise, and to Belfast Tool Library for hosting us in their space, and to all participating members for their enthusiasm and community spirit.
