PAT testing
Inspection and testing of portable electrical equipment for commercial, industrial and domestic sites, with a testing frequency recommended for your equipment and how it’s used, rather than a blanket annual rule.
At a glance
- Where
- The NR, IP, PE and CB postcode areas
- What you receive
- Labels, certification and results on paper and electronically
- Qualification
- City & Guilds 2377
- Timing
- Visits outside working hours by arrangement
- Book by phone
- 01493 249 269
How often does PAT testing need doing?
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical equipment that could cause injury to be maintained in a safe condition. They don’t say how that should be done, by whom, or how often. HSE is clear that there’s no legal requirement to test every item every year, to label equipment or to keep records, although records are a useful way to show you’re managing the risk.
The right interval depends on the type of equipment and where it’s used. A power tool on a building site takes far more wear than a desk lamp in an office or a kettle in a staff room. Some companies insist on annual testing when it often isn’t needed. We’ll recommend an interval that fits your equipment instead.
What PAT testing includes
- Inspection and testing of your portable electrical equipment
- Labels on each item showing it has been tested
- Certification and a full list of results, on paper and electronically
- Replacement fuses and minor plug rewires on the spot
- Retests of items that failed, once they’ve been repaired
- A recommended interval for the next test, based on your equipment and how it’s used
Our testers hold the City & Guilds 2377 qualification in the in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment.
Keeping disruption down
Equipment has to be unplugged to be tested, so we work through a site area by area and agree with you beforehand how to handle things like servers, tills and anything that can’t be switched off during the day. Where that isn’t practical, visits outside normal working hours can be arranged.
Between tests, the people using equipment are your best early warning. Ask them to look for damaged cables, cracked plugs, scorch marks and loose connections before use, and to take anything suspect out of use.
Who we test for
- Offices and shops: computers, kettles, heaters, printers and tills.
- Workshops, warehouses and industrial sites: power tools, extension leads and equipment that takes more wear and may need testing more often.
- Landlords and letting agents: appliances supplied with a let, including houses in multiple occupation.
- Schools, care homes and hospitality: large numbers of items, tested at times that suit you.
What it costs
The price depends mostly on how many items need testing and how spread out they are. Tell us roughly how many items you have, or send a previous test list, and we’ll send a price.
PAT testing near you
Common questions
Is PAT testing a legal requirement every year?
No. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require equipment to be maintained in a safe condition but don’t specify annual testing. HSE says the frequency should depend on the equipment and how it’s used.
What happens to items that fail?
Simple faults such as a wrong fuse or a loose plug are put right on the spot. Anything else is labelled as failed and listed in your results, so it can be repaired or replaced, and retested.
Do new appliances need testing?
New equipment should be supplied in a safe condition, so it doesn’t usually need testing straight away. A visual check before first use is sensible, and it should be added to your list for the next round of testing.
Will you remind us when the next test is due?
Yes. We record the interval we recommended and email you before the next test is due. Your results are also kept in your online account.
Not due yet? Tell us when it is and we’ll email you a month before, with a link to get a quote.
Get a reminderNeed help with PAT testing?
Tell us what’s due, and we’ll take it from there.