How to Save Money on PAT Testing

Many businesses pay to have every electrical appliance PAT tested each year without reviewing whether this is necessary. Understanding what your equipment needs can help you reduce costs while maintaining electrical safety. The biggest savings can come from reviewing frequencies, carrying out checks internally and making better use of external contractors. For some organisations, bringing PAT testing entirely in-house may also be worthwhile.

Review whether annual testing is necessary

There is no blanket legal requirement to PAT test electrical equipment every year. The Electricity at Work Regulations require equipment to be maintained to prevent danger, but do not specify an annual testing schedule. The precautions needed depend on the risks. A desktop computer that rarely moves in a clean, dry office faces different risks from a power tool used on a construction site. Applying the same testing interval to both can mean spending money unnecessarily on lower-risk equipment.

Your assessment should consider the equipment's construction, how and where it is used, the likelihood of damage, who is using it and previous inspection and test results. Some equipment may need attention more frequently than annually; other items may justify considerably longer intervals. Our guide to PAT testing frequency explains this in more detail.

Take responsibility for the testing schedule

The duty holder or person responsible for managing electrical equipment should determine inspection and testing intervals through risk assessment. A PAT testing company or electrical contractor can provide useful advice, but employing a contractor does not transfer your organisation's overall responsibility.

There is also a commercial incentive for a contractor to return every year and test every item. This does not mean their advice is wrong, but an annual reminder or a retest date on a label should prompt a review rather than an automatic booking.

Ask your contractor to explain the basis for their recommended intervals. A useful question is: "What makes this equipment need testing every year?"

Record your decisions and review them when equipment, working conditions or fault patterns change. Before changing your schedule, also check any specific requirements in your insurance policy or contracts.

Learn about PAT testing, even if you outsource it

A PAT testing course can be useful even if you have no intention of carrying out electrical testing yourself. Understanding the inspection and testing process helps you make informed decisions about your equipment, contribute to the risk assessment and understand the contractor's findings. It also puts you in a better position to agree the work required and question recommendations that appear excessive.

For the person responsible, training can therefore be an investment in managing the whole process, as well as an opportunity to learn practical inspection and testing skills.

Carry out user checks and visual inspections

Teach users to recognise problems such as damaged cables, cracked plugs, loose parts and signs of overheating. They should know how to report faults and ensure suspect equipment is taken out of use. A suitably trained member of staff can also carry out more thorough formal visual inspections. Keeping records of these inspections and any faults provides evidence for reviewing your maintenance arrangements. Where equipment remains in good condition and the risks are well controlled, this may support longer intervals between external inspection and testing. Repeated damage may indicate that intervals need shortening. Visual checks cannot identify every electrical fault, so testing remains necessary where the assessment identifies a need. This approach allows you to manage some activities internally while retaining a contractor for the electrical testing you need.

Make contractor visits more cost-effective

Agree the scope and charges before booking. Check how items are counted, whether detachable leads are charged separately, and whether there are minimum charges or additional costs for repairs and return visits. Compare what each quotation includes. A useful service should provide a thorough inspection, appropriate testing and clear records that help you manage the equipment afterwards. See our guide to outsourcing PAT testing for more information.

Are you paying too little?

A very low price per item may look attractive, but it is only good value if the work is carried out properly. A thorough visual inspection takes time, as does completing the appropriate electrical tests and recording the results. If the job is rushed, important checks may be missed. Having a pass sticker on every appliance is not, by itself, evidence that the equipment has been properly inspected and tested. If you have paid for work that has not been completed adequately, that money has been wasted and faults may remain undetected.

If large quantities of equipment are processed surprisingly quickly, or plugs and cables have not been accessed, ask how the inspections were completed. This is another reason to consider attending a PAT testing course, even if you continue using a contractor. Knowing what a proper inspection and test involves puts you in a much better position to assess the service you are paying for.

Consider bringing PAT testing in-house

Training a member of staff to carry out inspection and testing can reduce recurring contractor costs, particularly if you have a substantial amount of equipment or several locations. It also gives you more flexibility. Work can be spread throughout the year, fitted around quieter periods and arranged when equipment is available. Your staff can maintain records as equipment moves or is replaced, and respond promptly when problems are reported. Compare the full costs before deciding: training, a suitable PAT tester, instrument calibration, staff time and record keeping. The person doing the work must have the competence to inspect the equipment, select appropriate tests and interpret the results. Our article Can I do my own PAT testing? explores this option.

Plugtest's practical PAT testing courses can help you develop the knowledge to manage your inspection and testing programme, carry out visual inspections or bring testing in-house. If you have any questions, please get in touch.