Rigel 288 passes the test at Irish healthcare specialists

Independent Healthcare Service Ltd (IHS) supplies and supports a wide range of medical equipment, devices and accessories to customers in Dublin and other parts of southern Ireland.

It is now using three of the advanced 288 medical grade testers to ensure the electrical safety of powered bed frames, pressure relieving systems and patient lift and electric wheelchair chargers located in dozens of hospitals, nursing homes and private homes across the Republic.

Using the 288 provides fast and accurate testing of polarity, earth continuity, insulation resistance, operational and earth leakage while the compact design offers improved portability and ease-of-use for the IHS engineers travelling from site-to-site undertaking the tests.

Once a test is complete, the analyser will indicate either a pass or fail and print out a bar-coded label which can be attached to the tested device. This not only gives a clear indication of the device’s electrical safety but also a simple way of providing contact details in the event of unexpected service requirements.

The information collected and stored on the hand-held 288 devices can then be uploaded to a Rigel Medical Med-eBase software-driven PC database, which provides enhanced electronic recording and management of medical device safety testing programmes.

Using this software, IHS can provide its customers with reports detailing all the equipment tested, when the inspections were carried out and which items passed or failed. A certificate, which can be displayed advising that the appliances on the premises have been properly tested for electrical safety, can also be provided.


Paul Cullen, managing director of IHS, said: “The 288 is a great instrument, meeting all our requirements for an advanced medical grade PAT tester.

“Moreover, the engineers find them easy-to-use and appreciate the fact that they’re compact enough to carry around with them.

“Particularly beneficial is the reporting facility, which enables us to not only provide an added value service but also reassure customers that equipment is fully tested and electrically safe for both the users and the staff who operate it.”

The Rigel 288 incorporates easy-to-follow menu driven instructions for simple operation and test control of all IEC 62353 required electrical safety tests in manual, semi automatic or fully automatic test modes.

Available as part of a special test kit is the battery operated Test ‘n Tag Elite printer which provides an easy way to generate tamper proof barcode pass-fail labels or result print outs.

The Elite printer also has the additional ability to design and print customised logos or contact details on every label printed. Each label offers a cost effective way of enhancing customer service and is unique to the Rigel 288. The Elite can also be used with thermal paper for on the spot printing of test results using the industry standard 50mm wide paper.

For traceability and safety audit purposes, wireless connection also means that data from the Rigel 288’s large internal memory can be transferred immediately and directly from the tester to PC-based record keeping systems at the touch of a button.