PAT Testing Course
Derby

The first module builds the groundwork for everything that comes after. You'll establish a clear picture of what Portable Appliance Testing is, why it is carried out, and how it sits within a business's broader approach to electrical safety. Key industry terminology is introduced early so that no concept later in the day comes as a surprise.

You'll also be walked through the full range of electrical equipment types you're likely to encounter — portable, movable, hand-held, stationary, fixed and IT equipment — and through the equipment classes (Class I, Class II and Class III) that determine the level of protection built into an appliance. Grasping these distinctions from the outset matters, because the class and type of equipment govern which tests must be applied.

Before you can test safely, you need a solid understanding of the hazards involved. This module examines the ways electricity causes injury and death — electric shock, burns and the risk of fire — and identifies the conditions under which defective or damaged equipment becomes genuinely dangerous.

The module then lays out the legislative framework that underpins electrical safety in Britain. You'll 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 the duties those instruments create. We also address a persistent misconception: no single law requires employers to PAT test, but duty-holders are legally obliged to maintain electrical equipment in a safe condition, and inspection and testing is the accepted means of evidencing that obligation. You'll leave knowing exactly who holds that responsibility and what "reasonably practicable" demands of them.

The visual inspection is the most critical step in the entire PAT process — it uncovers most faults before a single meter is connected. This module teaches you how to perform a rigorous formal visual inspection and how to spot the signs of damage, deterioration and abuse that mean an item must be withdrawn from use.

We examine the internal construction of appliances too, covering correct plug wiring to BS 1363, the right fuse rating for each appliance, cable and flex condition, strain relief, and casing and connection integrity. You'll see how an appliance's construction links directly to its equipment class, and learn to distinguish the routine user checks expected of all staff from the formal inspection carried out by a competent person.

This is where the training turns genuinely practical. In the learning zone you'll work with real PAT testing instruments, getting comfortable setting them up and operating them safely. The module covers the range of testers you'll come across in the field — from straightforward pass/fail units to more sophisticated instruments capable of storing and downloading results.

You'll practise connecting appliances correctly, appreciate why calibrated equipment is essential, and build the repetition-based confidence that no amount of reading can replace. By the close of this module, using a PAT tester will feel entirely natural.

This module introduces the formal test sequence and shows you how to apply it across different appliance types. You'll work through the core electrical tests — earth continuity testing, insulation resistance testing, lead and polarity checks, and functional checks — with a clear explanation of what each test measures and what a result actually tells you.

You'll also learn why the correct order of tests differs between Class I and Class II equipment, so you always approach each appliance in the right way. Safe working practice runs throughout, making sure every test you carry out is both technically sound and safe to perform.

Running a test is only half the job — you must also be able to interpret what you find. This module teaches you to read results against recognised limits, reach a sound pass or fail decision, and take the right action when equipment fails. Correct labelling and the maintenance of clear, auditable records are covered in full.

We also look at how to set sensible retest intervals. Drawing on the risk-based methodology introduced in the current edition of the IET Code of Practice — which replaced rigid fixed-period tables — you'll learn to establish inspection and testing frequencies based on equipment type, working environment, frequency of use and the people using it. Thorough record keeping and a well-maintained asset register are shown to be the backbone of any defensible compliance approach.

The closing module brings everything together and places your new skills squarely within their regulatory context. You'll understand the difference between statutory requirements — the law you are bound to follow — and non-statutory guidance, which represents acknowledged best practice and helps you demonstrate compliance.

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 explain what the Code contains, how it reinforces the relevant legislation, and how to use it as a day-to-day reference. You'll finish the course with a clear sense of what competence means in PAT testing, how to demonstrate due diligence, and how to work to a professional, defensible standard.