PAT Testing Course
London

The opening module establishes the groundwork for everything that follows. You will learn precisely what Portable Appliance Testing is, why it plays a central role in workplace electrical safety, and how it fits within an organisation's wider duty of care. Key terminology used across the industry is introduced here, so no concept later in the course will catch you off guard.

You will also be introduced to the full range of electrical equipment categories you are likely to encounter — 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 understanding of these distinctions from the outset is vital, because the class and category of an appliance determines which tests must be applied.

Before you use any testing equipment, you need a firm grasp of the hazards you are working to manage. This module explains the mechanisms by which electricity causes injury — including electric shock, burns and electrical fire — and the circumstances in which defective appliances become genuinely dangerous.

The module then maps out the legal framework that gives PAT testing its purpose. You will study the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and associated duties. We address a common misconception head-on: there is no statute that mandates PAT testing by name, yet duty-holders are legally required to ensure electrical equipment remains safe, and inspection and testing is the accepted method of demonstrating compliance. You will leave clear on who holds that responsibility and what "reasonably practicable" means in everyday practice.

The visual inspection is the most powerful tool in a PAT tester's kit — it catches the majority of faults before a single meter is connected. This module takes you through the formal visual inspection process step by step, showing you how to identify signs of damage, deterioration and misuse that should take an appliance out of service.

We examine what to look for inside the equipment as well: correct plug wiring in line with BS 1363, suitable fuse ratings, the condition of cables and flexes, strain relief, and the integrity of casings and terminations. You will learn how an appliance's construction relates to its equipment class, and the distinction between the routine user check any member of staff can perform and the formal visual inspection that must be carried out by a competent person.

This module is where the training turns fully practical. In the learning zone you will work with real PAT testing instruments, building confidence in how to set up and operate them safely and accurately. We cover the variety of testers you may encounter in the field — from straightforward pass/fail units to advanced instruments with data download and storage capabilities.

You will practise making correct connections, appreciate why calibrated equipment matters, and develop the assurance that only comes from repeated, supervised practice. By the time this module ends, operating a PAT tester will feel entirely natural.

This module teaches you the formal test sequence and how to apply it correctly across different types of appliance. You will work through each of the core electrical tests in turn — earth continuity, insulation resistance, lead and polarity checks, and functional checks — understanding what each one measures and what it confirms about the safety of an appliance.

Critically, you will understand how the correct test sequence differs between Class I and Class II equipment, so you always apply the right checks in the right order. Safe working practice runs through every element of this module, ensuring that each test you carry out is both technically sound and safely performed.

A test result is only meaningful if you can judge it correctly. This module teaches you how to compare your readings against accepted limits, make a sound pass or fail decision, and take the right action when an appliance fails. You will also learn the correct approach to labelling tested equipment and keeping clear, defensible records.

We cover how to set appropriate retest intervals using the risk-based approach set out in the current IET Code of Practice — which replaced rigid, fixed-frequency timetables with a flexible, evidence-led method. Factors such as equipment type, working environment, frequency of use and user group all feed into the interval you select. Thorough record keeping and a well-maintained asset register are shown to be the foundation of demonstrable compliance and due diligence.

The final module draws together everything covered in the course and places your new skills firmly in their regulatory setting. You will learn to distinguish between statutory requirements — obligations imposed by law — and non-statutory guidance such as recognised codes of practice, and understand why both are important 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 explain what the Code covers, how it supports the underlying legislation, and how to consult it as your primary reference in practice. You will finish the course with a clear understanding of what competence means in this context, how to evidence due diligence, and how to carry out PAT testing to a professional and legally defensible standard.