PAT Testing Course
Nottingham

The course opens by establishing the core concepts you will build on throughout the day. You will learn precisely what Portable Appliance Testing involves, why it is a critical element of workplace electrical safety, and how it sits alongside other controls within an organisation's broader safety management system. Industry terminology is introduced clearly, so there are no surprises as the day progresses.

You will also be introduced to the full range of equipment categories you will encounter in practice — portable, movable, hand-held, stationary, fixed and IT equipment — together with the equipment classes (Class I, Class II and Class III) that govern how each appliance is protected against electric shock. A clear grasp of these distinctions from the outset is essential, because the class and category of an appliance determine which tests must be applied.

Before any testing begins, you need a firm understanding of the hazards you are working to manage. This module examines how electricity causes injury — covering electric shock, burn injuries and the serious risk of electrical fire — and the conditions under which a defective appliance becomes genuinely dangerous.

The module then takes you through the legal framework that sits behind PAT testing in the UK: the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). A key point we address head-on is the common misconception that testing is an absolute legal duty. There is no provision that says "you must PAT test"; however, duty holders are legally required to maintain electrical equipment in a safe condition, and inspection and testing is the accepted method of demonstrating they have done so. You will leave knowing exactly who carries that duty and what "reasonably practicable" demands of them.

The formal visual inspection is arguably the most valuable step in the entire PAT process — it uncovers the majority of faults before a single lead is connected to any meter. In this module you will learn how to conduct a thorough, systematic visual inspection and how to identify the signs of damage, deterioration or misuse that mean an item should be withdrawn from service without delay.

We look inside the equipment as well, covering correct plug wiring to BS 1363, appropriate fuse selection, cable and flex condition, adequate strain relief and the integrity of casings and terminal connections. You will understand how an appliance's construction relates to its equipment class, and you will learn to distinguish between the routine user checks that all staff can perform and the formal visual inspection that must be carried out by a competent person.

This is where the course shifts into genuinely practical territory. Working with real PAT testing instruments in our dedicated learning zone, you will grow comfortable setting up and operating equipment safely and to a professional standard. We cover the range of testers you are likely to encounter in practice — from straightforward pass/fail units through to sophisticated downloadable instruments capable of storing and transferring full test records.

You will practise connecting appliances correctly, appreciate why calibrated equipment is essential to meaningful results, and develop the confidence and dexterity that only come from repeated, supervised practice. By the close of this module, picking up and operating a PAT tester will feel entirely natural.

This module takes you step by step through the formal test sequence and how it is applied to different types of appliance. It covers the core electrical tests in full — earth continuity testing, insulation resistance testing, lead and polarity checks, and functional checks — explaining the purpose of each one and precisely what a result tells you about an appliance's safety.

A particularly important focus is the difference in the correct test sequence between Class I and Class II equipment, ensuring you always apply the right tests in the right order. Safe working practices are reinforced throughout, so every test you perform is both technically sound and safely conducted.

A result is only as useful as your ability to interpret it. This module shows you how to compare readings against the accepted limits, make a sound pass or fail decision, and take the appropriate follow-up action when a fail is recorded. You will learn correct labelling practice and how to maintain clear, auditable test records that will withstand scrutiny.

The module also addresses how to set sensible retest intervals. Working within the risk-based approach established in the current edition of the IET Code of Practice — which deliberately moved away from rigid fixed-frequency tables — you will learn to determine inspection and testing frequencies based on equipment type, the environment in which it is used, frequency of use and the user population. Thorough record keeping and a well-maintained asset register are shown to be the practical foundation of demonstrable compliance and due diligence.

The final module draws together everything covered during the day and anchors your new skills firmly in their regulatory context. You will understand the distinction between statutory requirements — the law you must comply with — and non-statutory guidance — the recognised best practice that shows you how to comply — and why both are equally relevant to a competent PAT tester.

Central to this module is the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, now in its 5th edition. We walk through what the Code sets out, how it supports the relevant legislation, and how to use it as an authoritative day-to-day reference. You will finish with a clear understanding of what "competence" means in this context, how to demonstrate due diligence, and how to carry out PAT testing to a professional, fully defensible standard.