EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management Safety Test Results: To keep or not to keep?

One shouldn't go through life wondering what might happen tomorrow.

A pass is a pass. If the equipment being tested is within spec then that should be adequate.

We could get in to a debate on 'well within and nearly out' but, as I said before, our professional judgements should be sufficient..as long as we work to the manufacturers requirements and/or our local risk assessments.

I can see the argument on both sides.!! however I think if you put this to a vote , then you will I believe see that you Mark.N are in a minority!..

Roy's right: you never know when you've got to stand before the Coroner. Believe me, it's not a pleasant experience even if you're convinced your evidence is kosher.

You might be asked & to justify why there have been no recorded evidence of performed electrical safety tests since the acceptance checks. Considering the short time it takes to perform & print electrical safety tests, the more records the better IMHO.

Do I take it, that you retain ALL of the test data???

You write out the paperwork, you print out the test results, you then input this information on to your databases, you back up your databases and you then file the paperwork...

What can I say...

We print out all our results and keep hard copies. I feel it is the right way to go, unless you have the time to figure out an easy way to make it paperless. We only put safety test OK in the database. It is a waste of time typing them all in if you keep a hard copy - it also means the results can't be tampered with.

We don't look at previously recorded results unless the test pulls up something unusual.
We do have failures (usually earth resistance)which results in the equipment getting a new ready made RS cable.

The data that we feel is relevant to each of the jobs that we do is recorded on to our SEMS system, every job, done, is then 'confirmed' by our manager - data CAN NOT be 'amended' after this stage.

Anyway, why would you want to 'amend' a job..aren't we ALL trustworthy?

Hi Mark

We've just had TWO automatic safety testers develope faults, yet both continued to work and record passes for the unit under test.

Thanks to recording both the safety test results and the test equipment used on each work sheet, we can retrace the instruments to be retested.

Michael,

This highlights the 'problem' with automatic testers. If, all you read is the 'Passed all Tests' bit at the bottom of the results, problems can occur.

We use a 601 Pro, mainly, for commissioning work and Seaward 266's(semi automatics) for field service. We don't, as yet, use a printer with the 266's - we note the results, so hopefully we will notice a fail/problem situation even if the tester doesn't.

There is more user interface with semiautomatic testers - its not just press & go.

We follow a similar tack to John: print a copy of the test results & attach it to the paper job docket which is then filed. We don't keep an electronic version of the same results: waste of time if you've got a hard copy.

All of of work history is kept on electronic media, our SEMS system - backups are kept seperately.

We are not ISO****whatever, registered. If we were to go down that road, then we would have to 'make some changes' in our work practices.. to conform to the ISO standards. Unless we are forced in to this, it will not happen.