PAT Testing Course
Cardiff

The programme opens by establishing exactly what Portable Appliance Testing involves, why it occupies such an important place in workplace electrical safety, and how it sits alongside other maintenance and inspection activities an organisation must manage. Core industry terminology is introduced here, so delegates feel orientated from the outset rather than playing catch-up later in the day.

The module also walks through the full range of electrical equipment categories you will encounter in practice — portable, movable, hand-held, stationary, fixed and IT equipment — alongside the equipment classes (Class I, Class II and Class III) that govern how each appliance is protected from electric shock. Grasping these classifications early is essential, because an appliance's class and category dictate which tests must be carried out and in what sequence.

Sound PAT testing practice starts with a clear understanding of the hazards you are working to eliminate. This module explains how electricity injures and kills — through electric shock, burns and the ignition of fires — and describes the conditions under which defective or poorly maintained equipment poses the greatest danger.

From hazard awareness the module moves to the legal framework. Delegates study 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), along with the duties those instruments impose. A point that causes persistent confusion in the field is addressed directly: no regulation explicitly mandates PAT testing by name, yet duty-holders are legally required to maintain electrical equipment in a safe condition, and inspection and testing is the accepted means of demonstrating that. Delegates leave clear on who bears that responsibility and what "reasonably practicable" means when applied in a real workplace.

The formal visual inspection is the cornerstone of any PAT testing regime — it catches the overwhelming majority of faults before a single meter lead is connected. Delegates learn how to conduct a systematic and thorough visual check and how to spot the signs of damage, deterioration and misuse that should take an appliance out of service immediately.

The module then takes a closer look at what's inside the equipment: correct plug wiring to BS 1363, appropriate fuse selection, flex and cable condition, strain relief, casing integrity and the security of internal connections. We also make clear how an appliance's construction relates to its equipment class, and distinguish between the routine user checks that every member of staff should perform and the structured formal inspection carried out by a competent person.

This is the point at which the course becomes genuinely practical. Working with real instruments in the learning zone, delegates set up, operate and become fully comfortable with PAT testing equipment under instructor supervision. We cover the spectrum of testers encountered in the field, from basic pass/fail units through to sophisticated downloadable instruments capable of logging and transferring records.

Delegates practise connecting appliances correctly, learn why calibrated equipment is non-negotiable, and develop the hands-on confidence that only repetition can build. By the close of the module, working with a PAT tester feels entirely natural.

This module sets out the formal testing sequence and demonstrates how it is applied to different types of appliance. Delegates work through each of the core electrical tests in turn — earth continuity testing, insulation resistance testing, lead and polarity checks and functional checks — understanding not only how each test is carried out but what it actually tells you about the condition and safety of the appliance under test.

Particular attention is given to the differences in the correct test sequence between Class I and Class II equipment, so delegates always apply the appropriate tests in the right order. Safe working practice is reinforced at every stage to ensure that testing is both effective and carried out without risk.

Performing a test is only half the task — interpreting and acting on the result is equally important. This module shows delegates how to read measurements against published acceptable limits, make a sound pass or fail decision, and respond correctly when an appliance fails. Correct labelling of tested equipment and the creation of clear, defensible test records are covered in full.

The module also addresses how to set appropriate retest intervals. Following the risk-based methodology at the heart of the current IET Code of Practice — which deliberately moved away from prescriptive fixed-frequency tables — delegates learn to determine inspection and testing frequencies by weighing the type of equipment, its operating environment, frequency of use and the nature of its users. Robust record keeping and a well-maintained asset register are presented as the primary tools for demonstrating ongoing compliance and due diligence to inspectors or insurers.

The final module draws together everything covered during the day and places it firmly within the wider regulatory landscape. Delegates work through the distinction between statutory requirements — law that must be complied with — and non-statutory guidance such as codes of practice and industry standards, and understand why both are relevant to a competent PAT tester working to a professional standard.

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 cover what the Code contains, how it supports and interprets the underlying legislation, and how to use it as a practical day-to-day reference. Delegates finish the course with a clear understanding of what competence means in a PAT testing context, how to demonstrate due diligence, and how to deliver testing to a standard that will stand up to scrutiny.