PAT testing is a risk-based way to manage the safety of portable electrical equipment (anything with a plug that can be moved). There is no legal requirement to test every appliance every year. The HSE is clear that the law requires equipment to be maintained in a safe condition.
As an experienced member of the Azure Electrical team who regularly carries out PAT testing in schools and workplaces across London, many people ask me "what must I do?" and "how often does it need to be done?".
For the wider compliance picture (EICR + emergency lighting + PAT), it helps to keep services connected through Electrical Statutory Compliance.
What is PAT testing?
The HSE describes PAT as the examination of electrical appliances and equipment to ensure they’re safe to use, noting that most defects can be found by visual examination, but some can only be found by testing.
In practice, PAT testing normally includes:
User checks (simple, regular visual checks)
Formal visual inspection (more detailed checks by a competent person)
Combined inspection and test (using a PAT tester where appropriate)
The HSE’s maintenance guidance (HSG107) explains this as a straightforward system of user checks, formal visual inspection and testing.
What needs PAT testing in schools and offices?
A practical rule used on school and office sites:
If it has a plug and can be moved, it belongs on the portable equipment list.
Common school items
Laptop chargers and charging trolleys
Interactive screens, projectors, speakers
Staff room kettles, microwaves, fridges
Laminators and printers
Extension leads and multiway adapters
Portable fans/heaters (often the highest-risk items)
DT/science/music equipment that plugs in
Common office/workplace items
PCs, monitors, docking stations
Power supplies and chargers
Photocopiers and printers
Kitchen appliances
Under-desk extension blocks
Portable heaters/fans
If a site is education-focused, Azure typically keeps PAT work aligned with other compliance tasks through Electrical Services for Education, so testing fits around school timetables.
How often should PAT testing be done?
The HSE says the frequency depends on the type of equipment and the environment it’s used in.
HSG107 goes further and states that the frequency of inspection and testing is a matter of judgement by the duty holder, based on a risk assessment and that suggested frequencies are not legal requirements.
A simple way to set PAT frequency without overthinking it
Most school and office sites can sort equipment into three groups:
Higher risk (check more often):
extension leads, multiway adapters
portable heaters
equipment that’s moved constantly (shared AV kit, mobile charging gear)
anything used in harsher environments (workshops, kitchens)
Medium risk (routine checks):
shared IT equipment
classroom AV that gets moved occasionally
staff room appliances
Lower risk (check less often, focus on visuals):
fixed-position desktop PCs/monitors in offices
equipment rarely moved and used in clean, dry areas
The goal is not “test everything constantly”. The goal is “maintain safe equipment and prove the scheme exists”.
What PAT testing looks like on a real school site
HSE stresses that visual examination is essential because some defects can’t be detected by testing alone.
So PAT is never just “plug it in, print a label”.
A typical visit includes:
1) Visual checks first
Common finds in schools and offices:
damaged plugs
frayed or stretched leads (especially laptop chargers)
crushed extension blocks under desks
heat damage on plugs (often heaters/kitchen kit)
taped repairs (always a red flag)
2) Test where appropriate
Testing helps confirm safety for relevant equipment classes and types, as part of the overall maintenance approach described in HSG107.
3) Recording and labelling
HSE says there’s no legal requirement to label or keep records, but records and/or labelling can be a useful management tool to monitor and demonstrate that a scheme exists.
What to record so audits and handovers are easy
Even though records aren’t legally required, they’re extremely helpful for:
local authority oversight
school governors / compliance checks
insurers
staff handovers when caretakers/site managers change
A good PAT register usually includes:
item description + location (room/block)
asset ID if available
pass/fail
faults found and action taken
date of inspection/test
who carried it out (name/company)
This keeps everything calm when someone asks, “Can you show your electrical testing records?”
What happens if something fails?
Most failures are simple and common:
damaged plug top
wrong fuse
worn cable
damaged extension lead
The important part is controlling risk:
remove failed items from use
log the failure
repair/replace
retest if needed
If a school or employer is already dealing with EICR remedials and wants faults resolved properly (rather than patching), it’s worth linking this to Electrical Remedial Work so everything stays consistent.
The PAT pitfalls schools and offices see most often
These come up repeatedly across London and UK sites:
extension leads used as permanent wiring
too many chargers on one strip
heaters brought in without a policy
equipment moved between rooms with no tracking
staff-owned appliances with no agreed checks
These are usually solved with a simple site rule set (what can be brought in, where it can be used, and how it’s checked).
A PAT plan that works for schools and employers
A solid PAT approach doesn’t need to be complicated:
list what you have
sort by risk
use visual checks as the foundation
test where needed
keep a clear register
The HSE and IET both push the same core message: focus on a risk-based maintenance regime, with testing as one part of it, not the whole thing.