PAT Testing Course

PAT Testing Course

All PAT Testing Courses are NOT the same - learn from the UK leading expert in Portable Appliance Testing!

• Learn from the Expert! Our PAT Testing courses are all led by Tim James - who has more than 30 years experience in the field of PAT Testing and is regarded by many as the UK's leading PAT Testing Expert
• Our course is fully up-to-date with the 5th Edition (2020) Code of Practice from the IET (Tim was on the IET committee which updated the CoP, so you can sure that the information is the most up-to-date available) - the course is also updated with the two new British Standards (BS EN 50699 and BS EN 50678)
• All of our courses are held in top hotels with first class training facilities. Lunch and refreshments are included in the course fee!
• FREE PAT Testing Course handbook, PAT testing guide, sample materials including equipment registers, record keeping templates and much more! No need to buy expensive additional text books or guides - we even supply you with a pen!
• On-going support and guidance - whether you're starting a PAT testing business or testing the equipment in your own company or organisation - sign up for free follow-on advice and guidance, and call us if you're stuck!
• Small groups and informal presentation - making sure you get personal tuition and hands-on experience
• Bring your own PAT Tester if you have one - otherwise we'll give you UNBIASED advice on the best one to buy! (NO hard selling!)
• Completely up-to-date with all the latest rules and regulations; but not getting bogged down in unnecessary detail.
  
• Our delegates frequently tell us this is the best course they have ever attended! You'll be invited to complete an evaluation at the end of the course.
  
• A mix of Theory and Practical - back up what you learn immediately with hands-on practical sessions
• Certificate of Competence issued on successful completion.

Click here for the PAT Testing Course Outline and latest Dates
Click here for the PAT Testing Course Programme in detail

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 do require electrical equipment to be safe, although Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is not specifically a legal requirement. There's plenty of guidance to consider, including two new British Standards (BS EN 50699 and BS EN 50678) as well as the IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing, which we helped to write. But this is not 'death by PowerPoint' - you'll be fully compliant with all of the latest rules and regulations, but we'll concentrate on the practical aspects of Portable Appliance Testing, giving you the right information to be able to do the job correctly, without getting you bogged down in detail.

Our PAT-Testing-course has been designed to teach you everything you need to know, to carry out PAT Testing in your own workplace, or to offer a PAT Testing service to your customers. Please phone us on 01482 738826 or click on the course dates page, for details of your nearest local PAT Testing Course.

Some frequently asked questions:-

If you have more questions you might find the answer here - PAT Testing Course FAQ

What qualification do I need to do PAT testing?
Despite what you might read elsewhere, there is no official body which regulates the PAT Testing industry, so any courses that you see that claim to be 'accredited' or 'official' are stretching the truth a bit. Actually, in order to carry out PAT Testing, you need to be competent. That's a difficult thing to define, but the best way to demostrate competence is to complete a competency based course like this one, which gives all the relevant answers, doesn't get bogged down in detail, and most importantly, has lots of hands-on practical.

Is it hard to become a PAT tester?
It's not a difficult job, provided that you receive suitable training. The actual job of PAT Testing is quite easy, once you know what you are doing. Our course is designed for people who have little or no background in electrical work, but who want to be able to carry out PAT Testing either in their own workplaces or as a service for other people. When you attend the course you'll receive a pack of useful information and access to information on our website, and you'll also get follow up email support and be able to contact us for advice if you get stuck. All part of the service!

Can you be a PAT tester without being an electrician?
You don't need to be a qualified electrician to carry out PAT Testing - some electricians do attend PAT Testing courses so that they can offer additional services to their customers, but many people who are not electricians work in the PAT Testing industry. You do, of course, need to be competent, and this is where proper and suitable competency training comes in.

Is PAT testing being phased out?
There is a myth going around that PAT Testing doesn't exist any more, or that it's being called something else now. But it is just that - a myth. You might hear people talking about 'Electrical Equipment Testing' or 'EET' but this really applies to ALL electrical equipment, not just portable appliances. Unfortunately it's not easy to explain in a couple of sentences (which is why people get it wrong all the time) but we have made a video that explains it all properly. You can watch that here if you're interested. As a general rule, we think of PAT Testing as being anything connected with a Plug and Socket, and Fixed Appliance Testing as testing items which are hard-wired. The term Electrical Equipment Testing (EET) refers to both types, Portable and Fixed appliances. It's not terribly complicated, but people do like to get things wrong!