PAT Testing Checklist: How To Inspect Plugs & Cables Safely

A proper PAT testing checklist stops you from missing defects that could cause electric shocks, burns, or fires. Whether you're a landlord preparing rental properties, a business owner keeping the workplace safe, or someone managing facilities, knowing exactly what to inspect, and in what order, makes the difference between a thorough test and a tick-box exercise.

The trouble is, many checklists floating around online are either incomplete or outdated. They skip key visual inspection steps, ignore common cable faults, or fail to mention which appliances actually need testing. That leads to missed hazards and, potentially, non-compliance with health and safety regulations.

At Electrical Testing London, our engineers carry out PAT testing across London and the South East daily, so we know what a reliable checklist looks like in practice. This guide walks you through every inspection step, from plug and cable checks to fuse verification, so you can either prepare for a professional test or understand exactly what's being assessed.

What a PAT testing checklist should include

A well-built PAT testing checklist covers more than just plugging an appliance into a tester and noting whether it passes. It needs to address four distinct areas: appliance identification, visual inspection of the equipment, electrical test readings, and a clear pass or fail record. Miss any one of these areas and your documentation won't hold up if a fault causes an incident or a health and safety inspector asks to review your compliance records.

A checklist that skips the visual inspection stage is already incomplete before any electrical test begins.

The core components every checklist needs

Your checklist must capture specific details about each individual appliance and the outcome of every check carried out on it. Vague entries like "checked and OK" are not acceptable in a compliance setting. Every appliance on the list needs a unique identifier, such as an asset number or a location label, so the record is traceable and auditable.

Here are the core components your checklist must include for each appliance:

• Appliance details: description, asset ID, location, and appliance class (Class I or Class II)
• Visual inspection results: plug condition, cable condition and routing, fuse rating, casing integrity, and signs of damage or overheating
• Electrical test results: earth continuity reading for Class I appliances, insulation resistance reading, and any additional readings your PAT tester captures
• Pass or fail outcome: clearly recorded for each individual item, not grouped by category
• Next test due date: based on appliance type and the environment it's used in
• Inspector name and test date: so the record is fully traceable

A template to record your findings

Using a consistent recording format means nothing slips through between appliances, and your records stay organised for audits or insurance queries. The table below gives you a straightforward structure you can adapt directly into a spreadsheet.

Add a row for every appliance in scope and keep the file backed up somewhere accessible. That way, you can update it after each test cycle without rebuilding it from scratch, and you always have a clear record ready if someone asks.

Step 1. Identify what needs testing and how often

Before you start any inspection, you need to know which appliances fall within scope and how frequently each type requires testing. Not everything in a building needs PAT testing, and treating every item the same wastes time while potentially skipping the items that carry the most risk.

Which appliances need PAT testing

Class I appliances rely on an earth connection for safety, so they carry a higher risk if the earth continuity fails. Examples include kettles, desktop computers, and floor-standing fans. Class II appliances use double insulation and have no earth pin, such as laptop chargers and most handheld power tools. Both classes need testing, but the specific electrical checks differ between them.

Items with no mains connection, such as battery-operated devices or equipment permanently wired into the building's fixed installation, fall outside the scope of portable appliance testing entirely.

How often to test each appliance type

Testing frequency depends on the environment and how heavily the appliance is used. A kettle in a busy office kitchen faces far more daily wear than a desk lamp that rarely moves. Use the table below as your starting point when building your PAT testing checklist.

The riskier the environment, the shorter the testing interval should be.

These intervals align with IET Code of Practice guidance. Your own risk assessment may require shorter intervals if equipment shows signs of heavy use or visible damage between test cycles.

Step 2. Do the plug and cable visual checks

Visual inspection is the part of your PAT testing checklist that catches the most defects. Before you touch a PAT tester, work through the plug and cable on every appliance systematically. Your eyes will find bent pins, cracked casings, scorch marks, and cable damage far faster than any instrument, and these faults often represent the most immediate hazards.

What to check on the plug

Start at the plug end and work methodically. A damaged plug is enough to fail an appliance outright, regardless of what the electrical tests show. Look for any of the following issues and mark them clearly on your record if present:

• Cracked or broken casing
• Bent, corroded, or missing pins
• Loose cable entry point where the cable enters the plug body
• Incorrect fuse rating (check the label on the appliance and confirm the fuse matches)
• Signs of discolouration or burn marks around the pins or casing

If the plug is a rewireable type, check that the cord grip is tight and the wiring terminals are secure before moving on.

What to check on the cable

The cable takes more physical punishment than any other part of a portable appliance, so inspect its entire length from plug to appliance, not just the visible sections near each end.

Damage hidden under a desk or trapped beneath furniture causes just as many faults as damage you can see immediately.

Look for cuts, fraying, kinking, signs of heat damage, or any point where the outer sheath is split. Flag any cable that has been repaired with tape as an automatic fail. Tape is not an acceptable fix on a mains cable.

Step 3. Test with a PAT tester and mark results

Once your visual inspection is complete, connect the appliance to your PAT tester and work through the required electrical tests for that appliance class. Do not skip or rearrange the test sequence your tester uses, as many instruments are designed to run in a specific order to protect both the equipment and the operator.

Which tests to run for Class I and Class II appliances

The tests you carry out depend on whether the appliance is Class I (earthed) or Class II (double-insulated). Running the wrong test, or skipping the earth continuity check on a Class I appliance, leaves a serious gap in your pat testing checklist records. Use the table below to confirm which tests apply to each class.

A failed earth continuity reading on a Class I appliance means the item must be taken out of service immediately.

How to mark results on the spot

Do not wait until the end of your testing session to fill in your results. Record the actual readings and the pass or fail outcome for each appliance as soon as the test finishes. This prevents mix-ups between items and keeps your records accurate and defensible if a result is ever queried.

Apply a colour-coded label directly to each tested appliance: green for pass, red for fail. Include the test date and your initials on the label so the information stays visible without needing to cross-reference a spreadsheet.

How to record results and manage failures

Your PAT testing checklist only has real value if you record results consistently and act on failures straight away. A spreadsheet full of passes with no action taken on the fails gives you a false picture of safety and leaves you exposed if an incident occurs. Every entry needs a clear outcome, and every failure needs a documented response before the next test cycle begins.

What to do when an appliance fails

Remove any failed appliance from use immediately. Do not leave it on a desk or in a socket with a note attached. Take it out of the area entirely and store it in a designated quarantine location until it is repaired or disposed of. This prevents anyone from accidentally plugging it back in before the fault is resolved.

A failed appliance left accessible is a compliance gap, regardless of what your records say.

Log the failure with specific detail: the nature of the fault, who removed the item, the date, and whether it went for repair or disposal. If the appliance is repaired, retest it before returning it to service and create a new entry in your records showing the retest outcome.

How to store and maintain your records

Keep your records in a single, consistent format that anyone responsible for health and safety can access quickly. A shared spreadsheet stored in a cloud folder works well for most workplaces. Your record for each appliance should include the test date, the tester's name, the readings taken, the pass or fail outcome, and the date the next test is due.

Retain records for at least the full test interval so you can demonstrate a continuous audit trail if your compliance is ever reviewed.

Next steps

You now have everything you need to build and work through a complete PAT testing checklist: appliance identification, plug and cable visual checks, electrical test readings, and a clear system for recording results and handling failures. Following this structure consistently means your records are accurate, your hazards are caught early, and your compliance stands up to scrutiny.

If managing the testing process yourself feels time-consuming, or if you need a qualified engineer to carry out testing across your London or South East property, our team at Electrical Testing London handles the full process from first inspection to final documentation. We test all appliance classes, provide clear pass or fail records, and flag anything that needs remedial attention before it becomes a risk. To find out what PAT testing costs for your site, request a quote from our team and we will get back to you promptly.