Is PAT Testing a Legal Requirement?

There is currently no legal requirement for PAT Testing. The Government however has put Regulations in place that pertain to the maintenance of electrical appliances and the most effective way to ensure that these Regulations are met is through PAT Testing.

The UK Health and Safety Executive along with Insurance Companies will expect you to perform PAT Testing to ensure that you are compliant with certain Regulations including:

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
• The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
• The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Non compliance with the above mentioned Regulations can result in fines of up to £5,000 and/or six months imprisonment. Fines have been seen to go as high as £20,000 and offences heard in Crown Court have carried sentences of more than 2 years imprisonment in addition to unlimited financial penalties.

So even though PAT Testing itself is not legally required. It simply helps you to protect yourself by ensuring that you are complying with these Regulations.