Portable appliance testing (PAT) is a commonly used term for In Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. The Electricity at Work Regulations state that “As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, such danger”. It is widely recognized that PAT Testing is the most practical way of fulfilling this regulation. In addition, a PAT schedule will also help your business to comply with the following acts and regulations:

All appliances start with a formal visual assessment, this includes checking the plug, flex and appliance for any visible signs of damage and that they conform to British Standards, then the plug top is removed and the fuse is inspected for BS conformity and safety, the terminal ends are then checked to ensure that they are tight and that each wire terminates at the correct point. Then the cable grip is checked and the plug top is replaced. Once completely satisfied with the formal visual assessment, a fully calibrated PAT Tester is used to carry out a number of tests depending on the type of appliance including Earth Continuity, Insulation Resistance, Polarity and Leakage Current tests. Detailed records are kept of the results and the appliance is given a pass or fail sticker. A risk assessment is then carried out to determine the recommended interval between testing. A PDF Report is then written up and emailed to the customer along with a certificate.

There are some PAT companies are offering this service for as little as 69p per item, you must ask yourself, how can they possibly carry out all this for such as small amount? I take pride in providing a bespoke, professional service at a fair price. Many of our competitors also have hidden charges (£1 to replace a fuse, £5 to rewire a plug etc.) but our price is inclusive of small repairs and replacement fuses, we also stock a number of common plug tops and IEC leads which are available at cost price.