PAT testing’s core function is to ensure the safety of portable electric appliances. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is a series of tests that are run on portable electrical equipment that certifies the safety of the equipment.
To give it its formal name, PAT testing is sometimes referred to as the Inspection and Testing of Inservice Electrical Equipment. As its formal name suggests, Inspection and Testing of equipment is part of the process. However, it is just one piece of a process that includes the following:
- Ongoing informal checks of the equipment by users
- Formal visual inspection of all relevant electrical equipment
- The PAT component. This involves a manual test of the equipment with a PAT testing device
- Recording and upkeep of testing records
