PAT Testing Course
Brighton

The first module establishes the knowledge you will need for everything that follows. You will understand precisely what Portable Appliance Testing is, why it exists, and how it sits within a wider programme of electrical safety management. We introduce the vocabulary used across the industry so that every later module makes immediate sense.

The module also walks you through the range of electrical equipment you are likely to encounter as a tester — portable, movable, hand-held, stationary, fixed and IT equipment — and introduces the three equipment classes (Class I, Class II and Class III) that govern how an appliance is protected against electric shock. Grasping these distinctions at the outset is crucial, because the class and category of an appliance determine which tests you must apply.

Before you can test safely, you need to understand what you are guarding against. This module explains the mechanisms by which electricity causes injury — electric shock, burns, and fire — and identifies the conditions under which damaged or poorly maintained equipment becomes hazardous.

The module then sets out the legal framework behind PAT testing. You will 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). We address a persistent misconception head-on: there is no law that specifically mandates PAT testing, but duty-holders are legally obliged to ensure electrical equipment remains safe, and documented inspection and testing is the accepted means of demonstrating that obligation has been met. You will leave understanding exactly who holds that duty and what acting "reasonably practicably" requires of them.

The visual inspection is the most productive stage of any PAT testing routine — it uncovers the majority of faults before a single meter lead is attached. This module equips you to conduct a rigorous formal visual inspection and to spot the physical signs of damage, deterioration and misuse that require an appliance to be removed from service immediately.

We take you inside the equipment as well, covering correct plug wiring in accordance with BS 1363, appropriate fuse ratings, the condition of cables and flexible leads, strain relief arrangements, and the integrity of casings and internal connections. You will also understand how an appliance's construction relates to its class, and the distinction between the informal checks any user 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 PAT testing instruments in the learning zone, you will grow comfortable setting up and operating the equipment safely, efficiently and correctly. The module introduces the range of testers available commercially — from simple pass/fail units through to sophisticated instruments capable of storing and downloading test records.

You will practise connecting appliances correctly, appreciate why calibrated equipment matters, and develop the confident, repeatable technique that only comes from hands-on practice. By the time this module closes, operating a PAT tester will be straightforward and familiar.

This module teaches you the correct test sequence and how to apply it across different types of appliance. You will work through the core electrical tests in order — earth continuity testing, insulation resistance testing, lead and polarity checks, and functional checks — and gain a clear understanding of what each test proves about the safety of the appliance under examination.

A key focus is how the appropriate test sequence differs between Class I and Class II equipment, so you always carry out the right checks in the right order. Safe working practice is emphasised throughout every step, ensuring that what you do in the field is both technically correct and genuinely safe.

The ability to obtain a reading is only valuable if you can interpret it reliably. This module shows you how to compare results against the accepted limits, reach a sound pass or fail decision, and take the correct course of action when equipment fails. You will learn the proper way to label tested appliances and the records you are expected to maintain.

We also tackle the question of retest intervals. Drawing on the risk-based methodology embedded in the current edition of the IET Code of Practice — which replaced the old fixed-frequency tables with a more considered approach — you will learn to set appropriate inspection and testing frequencies based on the type of equipment, its working environment, frequency of use, and the people using it. Maintaining accurate records and a well-organised asset register is presented as the foundation of demonstrable compliance and sound due diligence.

The final module draws everything together and anchors your competence firmly within the regulatory environment in which you will be working. You will be clear on the distinction between statutory requirements — the legal obligations you must comply with — and non-statutory guidance, which represents recognised best practice for doing so.

Central to this module is the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, 5th edition. We explore what the Code covers, how it supports the underlying legislation, and how to use it as an authoritative everyday reference. You will finish the course with a thorough understanding of what competence means in this field, how to demonstrate due diligence, and how to carry out PAT testing to a professional and defensible standard.