Compliance for UK schools
PAT Testing for Schools
Portable appliance testing (PAT) checks that electrical equipment which plugs into the mains - IT equipment, kettles, lab and workshop tools, cleaning machines - is safe to use. There is a persistent myth that the law requires every appliance to be PAT tested once a year: it does not. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical equipment to be maintained so as to prevent danger, but they set no fixed interval and do not mention PAT by name. The recognised approach, from the IET Code of Practice, is risk-based: a mix of user checks, formal visual inspection, and combined inspection and testing, with frequency driven by the type of equipment and its environment. This guide explains that risk-based approach, how PAT differs from an EICR, who is responsible, and the evidence to keep.
Is annual PAT testing a legal requirement? (No - and why)
There is no law requiring PAT testing at a fixed annual interval, and no regulation uses the term "PAT test". What the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require is that electrical systems and equipment are maintained so as to prevent danger. How you achieve that is a matter for a risk-based judgement, not a universal calendar rule. The HSE is explicit that an over-zealous, test-everything-annually approach is unnecessary - particularly for low-risk environments - and that much of what keeps equipment safe is simple visual checking rather than instrument testing. The IET Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment sets out how to decide what to check, how, and how often, based on the equipment and its environment. So the honest answer for a school is: maintain your equipment so it is safe and can be shown to be safe, using a proportionate mix of checks - annual testing of some items may be appropriate, but a blanket annual test of everything is neither required nor the recognised best practice.
Sources: Electricity at Work Regulations 1989; HSE INDG236; IET Code of Practice (PAT)
The three tiers: user checks, visual inspection, and testing
- •User checks: the person using an appliance looks it over for obvious damage - a frayed cable, a cracked plug, scorch marks, a loose connection - and takes it out of use if something is wrong. These are frequent, informal, and cost nothing, and they catch the majority of faults.
- •Formal visual inspection: a more structured check by a competent person of the appliance, cable, plug, and fusing, recorded but without instruments. Many faults are found by inspection alone, and visual inspection can be carried out more often than full testing.
- •Combined inspection and testing: the formal visual inspection plus electrical tests using a PAT instrument (earth continuity, insulation resistance, and where relevant leakage). This is what people usually mean by "PAT testing", and it is the least frequent tier.
- •Frequency is set by risk: a power tool in a DT workshop or a floor scrubber in daily use warrants far more frequent inspection and testing than a fixed desktop monitor in an office. The IET Code of Practice gives indicative intervals by equipment type and environment as a starting point for the school's own risk assessment.
Sources: IET Code of Practice (PAT)
How PAT differs from an EICR
- •PAT covers portable and movable equipment that plugs into the installation - what you can pick up and carry, or move on a lead. An EICR covers the fixed electrical installation itself: the wiring, distribution boards, and protective devices built into the building.
- •They are separate regimes on separate cycles, usually carried out by different people. A satisfactory EICR does not cover portable appliances, and a full set of PAT records does not cover the fixed wiring.
- •A school needs both. If you are here to understand the fixed-wiring inspection and its five-year cycle, see our EICR for schools guide; this page is about the equipment that plugs into it.
Sources: Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
Higher-risk equipment and personal appliances in schools
- •Science laboratories, design-technology workshops, and kitchens contain higher-risk equipment - power tools, hot plates, and machinery - used in tougher conditions, so these items justify more frequent inspection and testing than low-risk office equipment.
- •Equipment that is moved, dragged, or used outdoors - cleaning machines, extension leads, grounds and PE equipment - takes more physical abuse and warrants closer attention.
- •Personal appliances brought in by staff (kettles, phone chargers, desk fans, heaters) are a recurring blind spot: they should either be brought into the inspection programme or controlled by a clear policy, not left unmanaged.
- •New appliances can generally be assumed safe when first purchased and do not need testing before first use, but they should be entered into the inventory so they join the appropriate inspection cycle.
Evidence a school or trust should keep
- •An inventory or register of appliances with their inspection/test history - the date, the result (pass or fail), and who carried it out.
- •A record of the school's approach: the risk-based rationale for how often different categories of equipment are checked and tested.
- •Evidence that failed appliances were actually removed from service, repaired, or replaced - not just labelled.
- •The policy on personal appliances, and which have been included in or excluded from the programme.
- •Appliance labels showing the last check and next-due date give a useful visible signal, but the register - not the sticker - is the primary record.
Common gaps in school PAT programmes
- •Testing carried out but the records not held centrally - the contractor's certificate stays in a drawer, and trust estates teams cannot confirm which schools were done and when.
- •A blanket annual test applied to everything, which wastes money on low-risk items while treating a heavily used workshop tool the same as a desktop monitor.
- •Personal appliances brought in by staff neither tested nor covered by policy.
- •Cycles lapsing when a contractor changes or an annual visit is cancelled and not rebooked - invisible without central tracking.
- •Failed appliances labelled but left plugged in and in use, so the fault sticker becomes decoration rather than removal from service.
Frequently asked questions
- Is PAT testing a legal requirement for schools?
- Not as a named, fixed requirement. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require electrical equipment to be maintained so as to prevent danger, but they set no interval and do not mention PAT. A proportionate, risk-based programme of user checks, visual inspection, and testing is the recognised way to meet that duty - not a blanket annual test of everything.
- How often should schools PAT test?
- It depends on the equipment and its environment. The IET Code of Practice gives indicative intervals as a starting point: higher-risk items such as workshop power tools and kitchen equipment need more frequent inspection and testing than low-risk office equipment. The school should set frequencies from a risk assessment rather than applying one interval to everything.
- What is the difference between PAT testing and an EICR?
- PAT covers portable and movable equipment that plugs into the mains. An EICR covers the fixed electrical installation - the wiring, boards, and protective devices built into the building. They are separate regimes on separate cycles, and a school needs both; one does not cover the other.
- What are user checks and formal visual inspection?
- A user check is the quick look-over the person using an appliance gives it for obvious damage before use. A formal visual inspection is a structured, recorded check of the appliance, cable, plug, and fusing by a competent person, without instruments. Both catch a large share of faults, and both can be done more often than full combined inspection and testing.
- Do new appliances need to be PAT tested before use?
- Generally no - a new appliance can be assumed safe when first purchased and does not need testing before first use. It should, however, be added to the inventory so it joins the appropriate inspection and testing cycle from then on.
- What about staff bringing in their own kettles and chargers?
- Personal appliances are a common blind spot. They should either be brought into the school's inspection programme or controlled by a clear policy that says what is and is not allowed, so they are not left as an unmanaged risk.
How EduComply helps manage this at scale
Recommended operational practice for managing this across a trust - not a statutory requirement in itself.
- •PAT testing certificates are forwarded by email or uploaded. EduComply reads the document, extracts the date and scope, and updates each school's compliance record.
- •A trust-wide view shows which schools have current in-service inspection and testing, which are approaching their next cycle, and which have lapsed.
- •Failed appliances in a report raise an action in the Action Centre with a priority, ready to assign to an owner, so they are removed from service or repaired rather than left in use.
- •Alerts prompt estates teams before testing cycles are due, so appointments are booked proactively.
- •All PAT evidence - certificates, registers, and follow-up records - is stored against the school in one place, ready for inspection.
See how the full platform works, from certificate ingestion to trust-wide compliance dashboards.
Sources and guidance
The references below distinguish what the law requires from official guidance, recognised technical standards, and EduComply’s recommended operational practice. Always work from the current version of a source.
- Legislation· Legal requirement
- Official guidance· Regulator / government guidance
- Technical standard· Recognised British / IET standard
- LegislationThe Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
UK Statutory Instrument 1989 No. 635
Health and Safety Executive
- Official guidanceGood estate management for schools (GEMS)
Department for Education · Health and safety / statutory compliance duties
- Technical standardCode of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (5th Edition)
IET · Paywalled: official BSI/IET publication
British Standards and IET codes of practice are published by BSI/IET and are subject to copyright. The links point to the official landing page; the full text is available by purchase or subscription. EduComply does not reproduce standard text.
This guide is general information for UK schools and multi-academy trusts, not legal advice. Requirements vary by building, duty holder, and circumstances. Refer to the current source material and seek professional advice where needed.
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