PAT Testing Course
Edinburgh

The first module lays the groundwork for everything the course covers. You will learn precisely what Portable Appliance Testing is, why it exists, and how it fits into an organisation's broader electrical safety management arrangements. Core industry terminology is explained clearly so that nothing you encounter later requires guesswork.

The module also introduces the different categories of electrical equipment a PAT tester works with — portable, movable, hand-held, stationary, fixed and IT equipment — alongside the three equipment classes (Class I, Class II and Class III) that define 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 directly determine which tests must be applied.

Before you begin testing, you need a firm understanding of the hazards you are there to control. This module examines how electricity injures and kills — electric shock, burns and fire — and explains what makes defective or poorly maintained equipment so dangerous.

The module then walks through the full legal framework that underpins in-service testing in the UK: 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 common misconception is addressed head-on — there is no single statute that mandates PAT testing by name, but duty holders are legally obliged to ensure electrical equipment is safe, and inspection and testing is the established way of meeting that obligation. You will leave this module knowing exactly who is responsible and what "reasonably practicable" demands of them.

The formal visual inspection is the most important stage of any PAT test — it catches the vast majority of faults before a single meter reading is taken. This module covers how to conduct a thorough visual inspection and how to identify the signs of damage, deterioration and misuse that mean an appliance must be taken out of service.

You will also look inside the appliance, learning about correct plug wiring to BS 1363, the right fuse rating, cable and flex condition, strain relief, and the soundness of casings and connections. The module explains how an appliance's construction reflects its equipment class and draws a clear distinction between the routine user checks that staff carry out day-to-day and the formal inspection performed by a competent person.

This is where the course becomes genuinely hands-on. Using real PAT testing instruments in our practical learning zone, you will learn how to set up and operate testing equipment safely and with confidence. The module covers the range of testers you are likely to encounter — from basic pass/fail units through to sophisticated downloadable instruments that log and export results.

You will practise connecting appliances correctly, understand the importance of working with calibrated equipment, and develop the practical fluency that only comes from repeated, guided use of the kit. By the end of this module, operating a PAT tester will feel entirely natural.

This module covers the formal test sequence and how to apply it to different types of appliance. You will work through the core electrical tests one by one — earth continuity testing, insulation resistance testing, lead and polarity checks, and functional checks — with a clear explanation of what each test measures and what it tells you about the safety of an appliance.

You will also learn how the correct sequence differs between Class I and Class II equipment, so you always apply the right combination of tests in the right order. Safe working practice runs through every part of this module, ensuring that the testing you carry out is both technically sound and safe to perform.

Generating a result is only half the job — you also need to interpret it correctly. This module teaches you how to compare your readings against acceptable limits, reach a sound pass or fail decision, and take the appropriate action when equipment fails. Correct labelling of tested items and the keeping of clear, defensible records are covered in full.

You will also learn how to set sensible retest intervals using the risk-based approach adopted by the current edition of the IET Code of Practice, which replaced the rigid fixed-frequency tables of earlier guidance. The frequency with which equipment should be inspected and tested depends on its type, its working environment, how intensively it is used, and by whom. Good record keeping and a well-maintained asset register are shown to be the practical foundations of ongoing compliance and due diligence.

The final module draws every strand together and places your new competence within its proper regulatory context. You will understand the distinction between statutory requirements — the law you are legally bound to follow — and non-statutory guidance, which sets out recognised best practice and helps you demonstrate compliance. Both carry real weight for a practising PAT tester.

The centrepiece of this module is the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, now in its 5th edition. You will understand what the Code requires, how it supports the relevant legislation, and how to use it as your everyday working reference. The course ends with you having a clear, confident grasp of what competence means in PAT testing, how to evidence due diligence, and how to carry out testing to a standard that is both professional and legally defensible.