PAT Testing Course
Leicester

The course opens by establishing a firm foundation for everything that follows. You'll get a clear explanation of what Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) actually involves, why it matters for workplace safety, and how it sits within a broader electrical safety management programme. Core industry terminology is introduced early so that nothing later in the day feels unfamiliar or confusing.

You'll also be introduced to the various categories of electrical equipment a PAT tester encounters — from portable and hand-held items through to stationary, fixed and IT equipment — alongside the equipment classes (Class I, Class II and Class III) that govern how each appliance is protected against electric shock. Grasping these distinctions from the outset is vital, because an appliance's class and category determine which tests are appropriate.

Before picking up any test instrument, you must understand the hazards you're working to manage. This module explains the ways electricity causes injury — electric shock, burns and the risk of electrical fire — and the conditions that make defective or misused equipment a genuine danger.

The module then sets out the legal framework underpinning PAT testing across the UK. You'll cover 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 the associated duties they impose. A key point addressed here — one that is frequently misunderstood — is that although no legislation specifically requires PAT testing by name, duty-holders are nonetheless legally obliged to ensure electrical equipment remains safe, and regular inspection and testing is the recognised method of demonstrating that obligation is met. You'll leave this module knowing exactly who bears responsibility and what 'reasonably practicable' means in everyday practice.

The visual inspection is the most critical stage of the entire PAT process — it uncovers the great majority of defects before a single instrument is connected. This module teaches you how to carry out a thorough, formal visual inspection and how to identify signs of damage, deterioration or misuse that mean an appliance should be withdrawn from service.

The module takes you inside the equipment itself, covering correct plug wiring to BS 1363, appropriate fuse selection, cable and flex condition, strain relief and the integrity of casings and terminals. You'll also learn how the construction of an appliance relates to its equipment class, and the important distinction between the routine user checks that all staff should perform and the formal visual inspection that must be carried out by a competent person.

This is where the course becomes firmly practical. Working with real PAT testing instruments in the learning zone, you'll grow comfortable setting up and operating the equipment safely and accurately. We look at the range of testers you're likely to encounter — from straightforward pass/fail units through to more advanced instruments capable of storing and downloading results.

You'll practise connecting appliances correctly, appreciate why calibrated instruments matter, and develop the confidence and technique that only repeated hands-on practice can provide. By the close of this module, operating a PAT tester will feel entirely natural.

This module covers the formal test sequence and how to apply it correctly to different types of appliance. You'll work through the core electrical tests — earth continuity testing, insulation resistance testing, lead and polarity checks, and functional checks — learning the purpose of each and what it genuinely tells you about an appliance's condition.

Critically, you'll understand how the correct sequence of tests differs between Class I and Class II equipment, so you always follow the right procedure for the appliance in front of you. Safe working practice is emphasised at every step, ensuring that every test you perform is both technically valid and safely executed.

A test result is only valuable if you interpret it correctly. This module teaches you to read results against acceptable limits, make confident and defensible pass or fail decisions, and act appropriately when an appliance fails. Correct labelling of tested items and the maintenance of clear, auditable records are also covered in detail.

The module also addresses how to arrive at sensible retest intervals. Drawing on the risk-based methodology in the current edition of the IET Code of Practice — which replaced prescriptive fixed-frequency tables — you'll learn to set inspection and testing frequencies according to the type of equipment, the environment in which it's used, how frequently it's handled and by whom. Thorough record-keeping and a well-maintained asset register are presented as essential tools for demonstrating ongoing compliance and due diligence.

The final module brings the whole course together and firmly grounds your new competence within its regulatory setting. You'll understand the distinction between statutory requirements — the law that must be followed — and non-statutory guidance that represents recognised best practice, and why both are relevant to anyone carrying out PAT testing professionally.

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 the scope and content of the Code, how it supports the relevant legislation, and how to use it as an authoritative day-to-day reference. You'll finish the course with a clear understanding of what competence means in this discipline, how to evidence due diligence, and how to conduct PAT testing to a professional and legally defensible standard.