Can I PAT test my own equipment? Yes, but are you competent

Can I PAT test my own equipment?

Yes, you can PAT test your own equipment; if you are a competent person with the relevant training, knowledge, equipment and time.

It is essential that you or someone in your business is competent in electrical safety if you/they are going to carry out PAT testing.

A competent person should:

have good knowledge of electricity
have experience of electrical work
know how to carry out a visual inspection
know how to carry out a portable appliance test
understand the potential hazards of electricity & precautions to take when carrying out a PAT test
be able to assess whether it is safe to do a PAT test
If you decide to do your own PAT testing we would strongly recommend taking a PAT testing course as it’s important to perform the PAT tests correctly.

What makes a person competent to PAT test?

To consider a person competent in electrical appliance safety testing they need to have relevant experience, be suitably trained and preferably qualified.

If the person is not qualified they must have had extensive on the job training by an experienced competent person.

An online course, or even one day practical course is not enough to make someone competent to PAT Test.

Providing you meet all these competencies there is no real reason why you shouldn’t do your own PAT testing, however, bare in mind that you need paperwork to confirm your equipment is safe – a specialist PAT Testing company will be able to provide you with a PAT Certificate – for you to do that you’re going to have to go to the expense of software too.

If you are still thinking about doing your own PAT testing

When considering taking PAT Testing in house, think about why people do it, and why it is very rarely done in house, even by the biggest, richest companies:

You have to find a person in your current team with an understanding and interest in electrical safety, you have to then train them appropriately to a level where they can be deemed competent in electrical safety, or put them through the City and Guilds 2377 qualification then get them some training. Either way the person must be competent in electrical safety, electrical repairs and use of the equipment needed to test.

Chances are they are going to need some work experience too – not many people can do a course then go out testing on day 1 and be a success, especially if it isnt their main job.

That person also then gets taken away from their job for a number of weeks in order to undertake the testing. In my experience, what an experienced PAT tester can do in a day may take someone with little or no experience up to a week! Think how long your PAT Testers are on site? We recently lost a contract for a caravan park, because their owners felt it cheaper to take it in house. We had a team of 4 engineers on the part for a week – that’s 20 working days – how long do you think it’ll take their maintenance guy with all his other duties too?

If it doesn’t get done their is a compliance risk.

You have to buy your own testing equipment which can be anything from £500 to £2000.00; you have to calibrate it annually, buy tools spare parts, and know what to do with them.

If that person isn’t PAT testing regularly he’s going to forget what to do, so come next year, will he remember what to do? Or do you need to put him on a refresher course. You’ve spent thousands by now, trying to save money.

And to make matters worse, as he (or she) is unlikely to be competent, the chance of an accident occurring is heightened because a fault gets missed, and if that happens can you protect yourself from legal action? No… because you allowed a person who was not competent to test your electrical equipment to make sure it is safe. By doing so you did not meet your obligations of the Health and Safety At Work Act, the Electricity at Work Act and others.

I have seen many companies try to take PAT in house, and all have come back to us asking us to take over; it’s not worth trying to do it, just accept it is best to get on with what you do best and contract out what you can’t do yourself.

DIY vs professional PAT testing

One question that often arises when considering PAT testing is whether to conduct it internally or hire a professional PAT testing company. While some visual inspections and basic tests can be carried out by staff, electrical tests and functional checks should always be conducted by qualified technicians. Here are some factors to consider when deciding between DIY and professional PAT testing:

1. **Expertise and knowledge:** Professional PAT testing companies have the necessary expertise, knowledge, and equipment to conduct thorough and accurate tests. They are familiar with the specific regulations and guidelines applicable to different industries and can provide reliable results. DIY testing may lack the necessary expertise and can lead to inaccurate or incomplete assessments.

2. **Time and resources:** PAT testing can be time-consuming, especially for businesses with a large number of appliances. Professional PAT testing companies can efficiently handle the testing process, freeing up valuable time and resources for businesses. DIY testing may require significant time and resources, particularly if staff members need to be trained or if specialized equipment needs to be acquired.

3. **Liability and accountability:** Hiring a professional PAT testing company can provide businesses with a level of liability protection and accountability. Qualified technicians can provide detailed reports and documentation of the testing process, making it easier for businesses to demonstrate compliance with regulations. DIY testing may lack the necessary documentation and may not hold up in legal or regulatory situations.

4. **Accuracy and reliability:** Professional PAT testing companies use specialized equipment that ensures accurate and reliable results. They follow standardized procedures and best practices to ensure consistency and quality. DIY testing may lack the necessary equipment or follow inconsistent procedures, resulting in inaccurate or unreliable results.

While it may be tempting for businesses to conduct PAT testing internally to save costs, the benefits of hiring a professional PAT testing company outweigh the potential risks. Professional testing provides businesses with accurate results, liability protection, and peace of mind knowing that their electrical equipment is safe and compliant.

Enroll on a PAT testing training course

If you want to learn about how to PAT test your own equipment, we recommend you sign up for a PAT Testing training Course. We recommend the one-day courses by the PAT Testing Expert, which provide a great insight into what PAT is and will give you enough information to get started.

Why using a contractor may be easier

PAT Testing is a skill, something that requires training and experience to do well, and at the desired pace. Sometimes companies look at the possibility of training staff to do it in-house, and we totally understand why they consider this, but is it the best course of action?

As an example, your handyman, admin assistant, lab technician, etc. goes on a course to learn the basics of PAT testing. You buy them a tester and some tools, they test your equipment.

Let’s say for example, you have an office with 20 computers, it’s going to take them a few days to test all that. Then when they come to do it again in a year or two, they have forgotten what to do. It’s cost you the best part of a thousand pounds so far, plus the lost work time for that staff member.

If you used us to do your PAT tests in the first place, it may have cost you £200.00. The job would have been done in a day, and disruption for your business would have been minimal.

What would have been better?

You could get that person trained in-house so they can make sure user checks are being done, or that the PAT is being implemented correctly, but being honest, its far easier, and cheaper just to get a contractor in to do the job.

Don’t waste your time and money PAT testing your own equipment – get us to do it for you.

Is PAT testing cheaper if we do it?

You’re not going to save money by taking your PAT testing in-house; set up costs alone will be around one thousand pounds, not to mention loss of work time for the person doing the task. Contracting us to do your PAT tests will be better for you. It’s going to save you time and money, and effort.

Try combing the two

Have you considered combining the two options? Rather than taking all your PAT testing in-house, or getting a contractor to do it all, combine the two, to save money but also stay compliant.

Train someone to do the PAT in-house; they can visually inspect equipment, make sure any repairs are carried out, and then you get a PAT tester in every 2 or 3 years for example to do a full test on all equipment.

If we work together on this, we can put a system in place that ensures you’re always compliant.

If this sounds like something that would interest you – contact us to discuss this option.

Who can carry out PAT testing?

Who can carry out PAT testing? Any competent person can carry out PAT testing – all it takes is some knowledge, and basic training to get started.

Can I PAT test without a qualification?

In theory, yes, you can PAT test without a qualification. Guidance says you have to be ‘competent’ to test electrical equipment, not that you have to be qualified. How you get competent is a matter for discussion. The Portable Appliance Testing Trade Association say that you should undergo thorough training by a competent person in order to become competent yourself. The current qualifications are flawed because the course is intended to get delegates through an exam, with the course focus more on pass rates than gaining knowledge. Although if you want to work for another company, you will need to get qualified (City and Guilds 2377) to get a job.

You could sign up to do a practical skills course; you may find this more beneficial, as you will learn how to test appliances, how to use different machines and gain knowledge in why electrical appliance safety measures are important. The PAT Testing expert run a good training course in practical skills, at different venues around the UK.

So, Can you PAT test yourself?

To conclude, Can you PAT test yourself? Yes you can, but we don’t know why you would want to. It’s easier, cheaper and far less hassle to use a PAT testing company.