What is ‘PAT Testing’?
The name ‘PAT Testing’ or ‘Portable Appliance Testing’ is a made-up term which relates to checking the safety of electrical equipment in the workplace. The official term is ‘In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment’, which as you can see is a bit of a mouthful, so someone devised the term ‘PAT Testing’ as a shorter version of the same thing.
Who can ‘PAT Test’?
Ultimately, anyone deemed competent can carry out ‘In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment’. Competency is having the right combination of training, skills, experience and knowledge, along with the ability to apply them to perform a task safely.
Do Priory Training Academy offer City & Guilds courses?
No. As the City & Guilds course for ‘PAT Testing’ is aimed at electricians and people in an electrotechnical role, there is a certain amount of ‘assumed knowledge’. The majority of our students are not electricians, so we cannot assume they have any prior knowledge. Our ‘PAT Testing’ courses are based on the IET Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (latest edition) with the addition of basic electrical theory. Also, as ‘PAT Testing’ is a practical role, our courses include a large amount of ‘hands-on’ through practical exercises throughout the day.
Am I guaranteed to pass the course?
Unfortunately not. It’s a bit like a driving test… it depends upon your performance on the day. Our courses are inclusive and we can change the way the course is delivered to suit the delegates on the course. There needs to be a balance of technical knowledge and practical ability. If we see an imbalance, extra emphasis will be placed on the weaker areas. We don’t just give certificates away, they have to be earned. Our pass rate for 2024 is currently 96%.
What is the difference between a 1-day, 2-day and an online ‘PAT Testing’ course?
Firstly, the content for all three courses is the same. The biggest difference relates to the amount of knowledge and confidence you already have:
(a) Online refresher. If you have been officially trained in ‘PAT Testing’ and have been carrying out the role for some time, but want to make sure you are doing things correctly and to the latest standard, maybe an ‘online refresher’ would be the best option for you. You can learn at your own pace and don’t need an instructor.
(b) 1-day course. Maybe you are new to the role or have been trained in the past, but are a little ‘rusty’. The 1-day course assumes you know nothing and takes you back to basics. Through a series of lessons, discussions, practical exercises and tests, our qualified instructors will take you through the ‘PAT Testing’ journey to a point where you can fully inspect and test electrical equipment, as well as being able to determine whether the equipment is safe to use. Our most popular course.
(c) 2-day course. Okay, you are new to the role and feel you need a little more instruction, or a slower pace. The 2-day course has the same content as the 1-day, but is delivered at a slightly slower pace and more time can be spent on the areas you feel you need extra help. Also it gives our instructor more time to assess your ability and seamlessly change the course to suit your individual needs.
Is the Online ‘PAT Testing’ Course tutor-led?
No. This is not a ‘Zoom’ or ‘Teams’ style course… there is no interaction with an instructor, just a series of lessons and quizzes plus a final exam, taken at your own pace at any time, 24/7. Upon successful completion, you can print off your certificate.
How often do I need to requalify?
Remember, there is no specific need to be qualified or certified to carry out the ‘PAT Testing’ role… it’s all about competency. We have seen plenty of ‘qualified’ people ‘PAT Testing’, but the quality of their work has to be questioned.
When carrying out a specific role, it’s always a good idea to have your competency independently assessed. If you are ‘PAT Testing’ on a regular basis, there is a chance you could become a little complacent. Alternatively, if you only ‘PAT Test’ periodically, you could get ‘skills-fade’ and may start to make mistakes. Therefore, we would suggest attending a ‘PAT Testing’ course every 3 to 4 years.
Do I need to be an electrician to ‘PAT Test’?
Not at all… but you do need the following attributes… have good attention to detail; be methodical; be organised; be inquisitive; be disciplined; have good colour vision (i.e. not colourblind) and most of all, have a good level of common sense
Do I need any equipment to ‘PAT Test’?
The role includes two main parts, the inspection and the testing.
To carry out effective inspections (and sometimes minor repairs), you will need basic hand tools such as a selection of screwdrivers (to open plugs), pliers/wire strippers, spare plugs and fuses, torch, magnifying glass and a socket tester.
To carry out the required electrical tests, it is recommended that you buy a ‘PAT Test’ device. This will have the ability to run the necessary tests and provide results in a useable format.
At the end of the process you should label the item and record the results, so you will need pass/fail labels and a means of recording the results (paper log sheets, laptop, tablet etc)