PAT Testing in Schools: All You Need To Know

Ensuring the safety everybody in your school environment is of paramount importance. That responsibility extends to electrical safety too.

Look around your learning environment and you can’t fail to notice the array of electrical equipment. You’ll find everything from computers, fans and projectors, to microwaves, kettles and AV equipment. It’s crucial that all of these electrical appliances remain safe to use.

That’s where regular PAT testing (portable appliance testing) comes in. PAT testing’s the process of inspecting and testing portable electrical appliances to ensure their safety. Typically, this involves both a visual inspection and an electronic test using a PAT testing device.

Let’s run through the most common questions around PAT testing in schools.

What types of equipment in schools need regular PAT testing?

The term ‘portable appliance testing’ can be misleading. It also applies to large, cumbersome electrical appliances like fridges and photocopiers. It’s not only portable equipment. Basically, PAT testing applies to any electrical equipment with a plug that can be moved or unplugged from a socket. And when you look around a school environment, there’s a lot of items with plugs!

Electrical appliances within schools aren’t only items in a classroom like IT equipment, projectors and TVs. Think about the variety of electrical equipment used in the school office, the staff room and the school hall. Then there’s the kitchen equipment used for catering, and cleaning equipment like vacuum cleaners. And it even spans things like phone chargers, cables and extension leads.

What are the benefits of regular PAT testing in schools?

The overriding benefit of PAT testing is helping to maintain a safe school environment. It’s a key aspect of a school’s risk assessment, management and health and safety compliance process.

Through testing, inspection and maintenance, you’ll significantly reduce the risk of hazards including fires or electric shocks. That preserves the safety of those within the school, and provides peace of mind to the wider school community.

In addition, looking after your electrical equipment can extend its lifespan. That’s a welcome cost effective outcome for schools.

Is PAT testing a legal requirement in schools?

Regular PAT testing in schools is not a specific legal requirement. However, you do have a legal obligation to keep your workplace safe – and that includes schools.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that all portable electrical equipment used in a school should be inspected and tested regularly. But there are other strict guidelines around the safety of portable electrical equipment and electrical systems.

The relevant regulations and safety standards include:

• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
• Electrical Equipment Safety Regulations 2016
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
• BS EN 50699:2020

Find out more about these safety standards and our PAT testing services

Who can carry out PAT testing in schools?

Regulations state that electrical testing needs to be carried out by a ‘competent person’. So, officially, you don’t have to use a qualified electrician (although we would recommend it). You may have a competent in-house member of staff, say a maintenance or facilities person, who can perform PAT tests. They’ll need the correct testing equipment and a good understanding of the process.

For peace of mind, it’s a good idea to choose an experienced, professional PAT tester or PAT testing company to check the safety of your electrical equipment. When we conduct a PAT test, we’ll always run through the test results with you. We’ll flag any issues and provide you with a report of which electrical appliances need to be repaired or upgraded.

How often should schools PAT test?

There’s no one-size-fits-all schedule for electrical appliance testing. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that you check equipment that’s used most regularly (and/ or in a high risk environment) more frequently than others. It’s also good practice to test older equipment more frequently than new items. A risk assessment’s the easiest way to identify how often your equipment should be checked.

Our experts can help to keep your school, its staff and students, safer

Our NICEIC qualified electrical engineers can help to keep your school environment safe and to minimise the risk of electrical incidents. Our professional team members are DBS-checked and experienced in schools’ unique safety needs.

We offer comprehensive testing services from PAT testing to fixed wire and electrical installation condition report (EICR) and fire safety checks.

Chat to our friendly, knowledgeable team with your queries around PAT testing. We’re here to help you.