How to Prepare Your Office or Site for PAT Testing

Guy hudson
Aug 5
4 min read

Regular PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) is essential—not just to comply with UK safety regulations (such as the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and PUWER 1998), but to protect your people, property, and peace of mind. For businesses in the UK, PAT testing remains the most widely recognised method of demonstrating electrical safety competence.

Global Compliance specialises in seamless, professional PAT services tailored to your environment—whether office, industrial, warehouse or landlord property. Here’s how to prepare your site efficiently to ensure smooth testing with minimal disruption.

Understand What PAT Testing Includes

PAT testing typically consists of two key stages:

Visual inspection: checking for damaged plugs, brittle cables, missing pins or heat marks.
Electrical testing: earth continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, and leakage tests, as relevant to the class of appliance (Class I or II).

Knowing this helps you plan which items to gather in advance, and which might require special handling.

Start with a Risk-Based Inventory

Begin by creating an inventory of all portable and plug-in electrical equipment on site:

PCs, monitors, printers, phones, kettles, microwaves, heaters, fans, vacuum cleaners.
Larger “stationary” appliances like vending machines or photocopiers also count as PAT items.

Categorise each appliance according to usage environment and risk:

High‑risk: power tools, kitchen appliances, high‑usage devices – testing maybe every 6 – 12 months.
Medium‑risk: shared IT or office machines – perhaps every 1–2 years.
Low‑risk: personal lamps or rarely moved items – annual or every 2–3 years.

This risk‑based plan aligns with HSE guidance, delivering compliance and efficiency without over-testing.

Communicate and Schedule

Reach out to staff and site managers well in advance of your PAT appointment:

Notify individual departments or tenants which items need to be unplugged and gathered.
Designate central collection points (e.g. a meeting room or storeroom) to reduce downtime.
Schedule testing during quieter periods—weekends or after hours—to minimise workplace disruption.

Global Compliance teams deliver testing with minimum downtime, and work alongside staff to swiftly tag and report on devices.

Prepare Equipment Access and Power

Ensure the following logistical factors are ready:

Unobstructed access: testers will need to reach sockets, cables and appliances easily.
Powered outlets available: ensure sufficient live sockets for test instruments.
Power cut notifications: ensure uninterrupted power on test day (or notify in advance if planned outage).

Pre‑testing organisation reduces time spent by engineers onsite and helps devices be checked faster.

Labelled Areas and Asset Documentation

If your organisation uses an asset numbering or labelling system, prepare documentation so testers can match each item easily. If you don’t, don’t worry—testing engineers will:

Label each tested appliance with a barcoded or dated sticker.
Log pass/fail results into a comprehensive asset register.

These records are invaluable for compliance and audit trails—especially during HSE inspections.

Expect Visual‑Only Testing Where Appropriate

Some items—like fire alarms, CCTV, comms racks or fixed IT infrastructure—might only require visual inspection, not electrical testing:

Ensure access to these items is organised (e.g. keys or passcodes).
Communicate that such items may not receive full electrical tests, according to their nature and risk profile.

Prepare for Failed Appliances

Inevitably, some devices may fail testing. Before testing day:

Have replacement or spare decor (e.g. spare kettle or fan).
Plan power isolation and return procedures: failed items may be labelled and withdrawn.

Global Compliance engineers will inform you onsite of failed items and help coordinate remediation.

Ensure a Competent Person is Available

While staff members may help move equipment, the person performing testing must be competent—i.e. trained and experienced to perform visual and formal tests using calibrated test instruments.

If you're using in‑house testers, ensure they are trained (e.g. City & Guilds 2377–22 or equivalent) and your instruments are calibrated annually.

Understand the Testing Timeline

Testing time depends on the number and complexity of appliances:

In a typical office, each workstation may have 3–7 plug‑in devices—resulting in many individual tests, not just one per desk.
On testing day, expect engineers to proceed in sections—logging, labelling, reporting in batches.

With good prior organisation, testing is efficient, and Global Compliance issues a full asset report and certification on completion.

Review Records and Schedule Next Tests

After testing:

Ask for a comprehensive report, including pass/fail results, retest due dates, and recommended actions.
Review failed devices and coordinate necessary remedial work.
Schedule your next round based on risk-based frequency (e.g. IT equipment in 2–4 years, kitchen or power‑tool items annually or more frequently).

Benefits of Proper Preparation

By preparing thoroughly, you’ll enjoy several advantages:

Faster testing—less disruption, shorter onsite time.
Accurate records—clear labelling, asset traceability, audit‑ready logs.
Reduced downtime—organised device collection and accessible equipment.
Greater compliance confidence, demonstrating due diligence under UK regulations.

Why Choose Global Compliance for PAT Testing?

At Global Compliance we specialise in tailored PAT testing solutions, ensuring compliance with the IET Code of Practice and relevant UK regulations. Here’s what sets us apart:

Risk‑based testing schedules aligned with your industry and equipment usage.
Qualified, competent engineers, trained to City & Guilds and IET standards.
Annual instrument calibration for accurate testing.
Full labelling and reporting, with downloadable asset registers and certificates.
Flexible scheduling, including evenings or weekends to minimise disruption.

Are you preparing for your next PAT test or looking to streamline processes? Contact Global Compliance today at 0330 100 5341 to book a consultation, schedule PAT testing, or discuss your electrical safety routine.

Checklist: How to Prepare Your Office or Site

Inventory all portable and plug-in appliances.
Categorise by risk and assign approximate test frequency.
Notify staff and arrange central equipment collection points.
Provide clear access to power outlets and devices.
Label areas or items per asset system, where applicable.
Expect visual-only inspection where applicable.
Be ready for failed devices—have spares or replacement plans in place.
Ensure a competent person is available and equipment is calibrated.
Schedule testing during low-activity periods.
Review post-testing reports and schedule next retest dates.

By taking these steps, your facility will be optimally prepared for PAT testing, ensuring a smooth process that supports compliance, safety and operational continuity.

For expert support or to book a visit, call 0330 100 5341 or visit contact us. Let Global Compliance make PAT testing seamless, efficient, and safe.