PAT Testing Course
Glasgow

The first module lays the groundwork for the rest of the day. You will learn precisely what Portable Appliance Testing is, why it is carried out, and how it sits within an organisation's broader approach to electrical safety. The terminology used across the industry is introduced early, so that nothing encountered in later modules comes as a surprise.

The module also introduces the range of electrical equipment categories you will come across in the role — portable, movable, hand-held, stationary, fixed and IT equipment — together with the equipment classes (Class I, Class II and Class III) that govern how an appliance is protected from electric shock. Grasping these distinctions at the outset is vital, because the class and category of a piece of equipment determines which tests must be applied to it.

Before operating any test instrument you need a firm understanding of the hazards you are there to control. This module looks at how electricity causes injury — electric shock, burns and fire — and at the conditions that make defective appliances particularly dangerous in a workplace setting.

The module then unpacks the legal framework that sits behind PAT testing. You will work through 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 associated duties. A key point is addressed here that many people misunderstand: there is no single law that explicitly demands PAT testing, yet duty-holders are legally bound to keep electrical equipment in a safe condition, and inspection and testing is the accepted way of demonstrating that they have done so. You will leave this module clear on who carries that duty and what satisfying it looks like in practice.

The formal visual inspection is the most important single step in any PAT process — the majority of faults are found here, before any test instruments are connected. This module teaches you how to carry out a methodical, thorough visual inspection and how to spot the damage, deterioration and misuse that means an appliance must be taken out of service.

We look inside the appliance itself, covering correct plug wiring to BS 1363, appropriate fuse selection, cable and flex condition, strain relief, and the integrity of casings and internal connections. You will also learn how an appliance's construction links to its equipment class, and where the formal visual inspection by a competent person differs from the routine user checks that any member of staff should be performing.

This is the module where the day becomes genuinely practical. Working with real PAT testing instruments in the learning zone, you will get comfortable with setting up and operating test equipment safely and correctly. We cover the range of testers you are likely to use in practice — from straightforward pass/fail units through to advanced instruments that log and export results electronically.

You will practise connecting appliances correctly, understand why using calibrated equipment matters, and build the hands-on familiarity that only repetition provides. By the time the module ends, working with a PAT tester will feel routine rather than daunting.

This module takes you through the formal test sequence and shows you how to apply it to a variety of appliances. The core electrical tests are covered in turn — earth continuity testing, insulation resistance testing, lead and polarity checks, and functional checks — with a clear explanation of what each test measures and what passing or failing it tells you about the appliance.

A critical element here is understanding how the correct test sequence differs between Class I and Class II equipment, so you always carry out the right tests in the right order. Safe working practice runs as a thread throughout the module, making sure every test you perform is both meaningful and conducted without risk.

A result is only of value if you know how to interpret it. This module teaches you to read test outcomes against accepted limits, make sound pass or fail decisions, and take appropriate action when an appliance fails. You will learn the correct way to label tested equipment and how to keep records that are clear, accurate and defensible.

The module also covers how to set sensible retest intervals. Drawing on the risk-based approach in the current edition of the IET Code of Practice — which has moved away from the prescriptive frequency tables of earlier editions — you will learn to set inspection and testing schedules based on equipment type, environment, frequency of use and the people using it. Maintaining a thorough asset register and robust records is shown to be the foundation of demonstrating ongoing compliance and due diligence.

The final module pulls the whole programme together and anchors your new skills in their regulatory context. You will learn the distinction between statutory requirements — law you are obliged to follow — and non-statutory guidance — recognised best practice that shows how to comply — and why both are important 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, currently in its 5th edition. We set out what the Code covers, how it supports the relevant legislation, and how to use it as your primary reference going forward. You will finish the day with a clear understanding of what competence means in this context, how to demonstrate due diligence, and how to conduct PAT testing to a rigorous, professionally defensible standard.