UNIQUE ASSET ID: Assign each item a permanent reference number (e.g. PAT-001) before its first inspection. Write this on a durable label fixed to the appliance. Every subsequent entry in the register must reference this ID so the full history of that item is traceable. Never reuse a number after an item is disposed of.
ITEM DESCRIPTION: Record the description (e.g. Bosch cordless drill), make, model, and serial number at the point of first entry. Note the appliance class (Class I = earthed metal body; Class II = double-insulated, no earth). Class determines which electrical tests apply, so this field is not optional.
LOCATION OR DEPARTMENT: Record where the item is normally kept or used (e.g. Ground Floor Kitchen, Site Workshop). Equipment used in harsh or damp environments (construction, catering, outdoor) requires a shorter re-inspection interval than the same item in a dry office, so location drives your risk-based frequency under HSG107 guidance.
USER CHECK DATE AND RESULT: Record the date and outcome of each pre-use or routine user check (the informal look-before-you-plug-in inspection any member of staff can carry out). Note who did it, what was checked (cable condition, plug integrity, no visible damage), and the result (satisfactory or defect noted). HSE HSG107 recommends user checks as the first tier of a three-tier maintenance scheme.
FORMAL VISUAL INSPECTION DATE, INSPECTOR, AND RESULT: Record the date of each formal visual inspection by a competent person (someone with relevant knowledge and training, not necessarily a qualified electrician per HSE guidance). Note the inspector's name and sign-off. Record specifically whether the plug cover was removed and internal wiring, fuse rating, and cord grip checked. Record pass or any defect found. Frequency is risk-based: annually as a minimum starting point for most workplace equipment per HSG107; more frequently for high-use or high-risk environments.
PAT TEST DATE AND TESTER: Record the date of each combined inspection and electrical test carried out by a competent person with the knowledge and experience to interpret results safely (IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, 5th edition). Record the tester's full name and, where applicable, their qualification or employer. A tester does not need to be a qualified electrician, but must be demonstrably competent.
All checks done
Maintenance
Equipment & PAT Test Register
This register is the written evidence that your portable electrical equipment is being maintained in a safe condition, as required by the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (Regulation 4) and PUWER 1998 (Regulations 5 and 6). Without it, a single electrical incident or HSE inspection can leave you unable to demonstrate compliance, exposing the duty holder to unlimited criminal liability under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
12 checksPDF + printReviewed August 2026
Built on published UK guidance Show sources
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (SI 1989/635), Regulations 4(1), 4(2) and 4(3); Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2306), Regulations 5 (maintenance) and 6 (inspection); Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 2 (general duty to employees) and Section 3 (duty to non-employees); HSE HSG107 Maintaining Portable Electrical Equipment (4th edition); HSE INDG236 Maintaining Portable Electric Equipment in Low-Risk Environments; IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, 5th edition (2020)
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What’s on it
12 things to check.
Everything that matters, nothing that does not. Here is the full list, exactly as it appears on the template.
1UNIQUE ASSET ID: Assign each item a permanent reference number (e.g. PAT-001) before its first inspection. Write this on a durable label fixed to the appliance. Every subsequent entry in the register must reference this ID so the full history of that item is traceable. Never reuse a number after an item is disposed of.
2ITEM DESCRIPTION: Record the description (e.g. Bosch cordless drill), make, model, and serial number at the point of first entry. Note the appliance class (Class I = earthed metal body; Class II = double-insulated, no earth). Class determines which electrical tests apply, so this field is not optional.
3LOCATION OR DEPARTMENT: Record where the item is normally kept or used (e.g. Ground Floor Kitchen, Site Workshop). Equipment used in harsh or damp environments (construction, catering, outdoor) requires a shorter re-inspection interval than the same item in a dry office, so location drives your risk-based frequency under HSG107 guidance.
4USER CHECK DATE AND RESULT: Record the date and outcome of each pre-use or routine user check (the informal look-before-you-plug-in inspection any member of staff can carry out). Note who did it, what was checked (cable condition, plug integrity, no visible damage), and the result (satisfactory or defect noted). HSE HSG107 recommends user checks as the first tier of a three-tier maintenance scheme.
5FORMAL VISUAL INSPECTION DATE, INSPECTOR, AND RESULT: Record the date of each formal visual inspection by a competent person (someone with relevant knowledge and training, not necessarily a qualified electrician per HSE guidance). Note the inspector's name and sign-off. Record specifically whether the plug cover was removed and internal wiring, fuse rating, and cord grip checked. Record pass or any defect found. Frequency is risk-based: annually as a minimum starting point for most workplace equipment per HSG107; more frequently for high-use or high-risk environments.
6PAT TEST DATE AND TESTER: Record the date of each combined inspection and electrical test carried out by a competent person with the knowledge and experience to interpret results safely (IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, 5th edition). Record the tester's full name and, where applicable, their qualification or employer. A tester does not need to be a qualified electrician, but must be demonstrably competent.
7ELECTRICAL TEST RESULTS: Record the actual measured values, not just pass or fail. For Class I equipment record the earth continuity resistance: pass is (0.1 + R) ohms or less, where R is the resistance of the supply cable (IET CoP 5th edition). For Class I and Class II equipment record insulation resistance: pass is 1 megohm or greater at 500 V DC test voltage (IET CoP 5th edition). Recording actual figures means future inspectors can spot a trend before an item fails.
8OVERALL RESULT (PASS / FAIL / WITHDRAWN): Record a single clear outcome for each inspection or test event. If the item fails, record the defect, the action taken (repaired, re-tested, quarantined, scrapped), and by whom. A failed or withdrawn item must not re-enter service until re-tested and passed. Write the date of removal from service and, if repaired, the date returned.
9FUSE RATING CHECKED: Record the fuse fitted and confirm it is correct for the appliance. A 13 A fuse in a 400 W table lamp is a known fire risk. The correct fuse is typically the next standard size above the calculated load (watts divided by 230 V). Note this check separately because it is a common fault found at inspections and a straightforward one to record.
10NEXT INSPECTION DUE DATE: Record the date by which the next formal visual inspection or PAT test must be completed. Set this date by risk assessment informed by HSG107 indicative intervals: for stationary IT equipment in a low-risk office, up to 4 years is a reasonable starting point; for handheld tools on a construction site, 3 months. Write the due date in the register at the time of each inspection, not as a retrospective entry.
11LABEL APPLIED (YES / NO): Record whether a test label has been fixed to the item showing the unique asset ID, test date, and next due date. Although neither labelling nor record-keeping is a strict legal requirement under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, both are strongly recommended by HSE and the IET as evidence that a maintenance scheme exists and is working. Missing labels are an immediate red flag at any audit.
12DISPOSAL OR TRANSFER DATE: When an item is permanently removed from service (scrapped, sold, transferred to another site), record the date, reason, and destination. Close the entry clearly so the asset ID is never reused and the register does not carry phantom items that obscure your live inventory.
Good to know
No UK law names "PAT testing" specifically or mandates a fixed annual cycle. The duty under Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Regulation 4(2) is to maintain electrical systems so as to prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable. How you demonstrate that duty is met is for the duty holder to decide, based on risk, which is why the register and the evidence it contains matter far more than any sticker on the plug.
Source: Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (SI 1989/635), Regulations 4(1), 4(2) and 4(3); Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2306), Regulations 5 (maintenance) and 6 (inspection); Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Section 2 (general duty to employees) and Section 3 (duty to non-employees); HSE HSG107 Maintaining Portable Electrical Equipment (4th edition); HSE INDG236 Maintaining Portable Electric Equipment in Low-Risk Environments; IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, 5th edition (2020)
Good to know
Questions, answered
What is the Equipment & PAT Test Register?
This register is the written evidence that your portable electrical equipment is being maintained in a safe condition, as required by the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (Regulation 4) and PUWER 1998 (Regulations 5 and 6). Without it, a single electrical incident or HSE inspection can leave you unable to demonstrate compliance, exposing the duty holder to unlimited criminal liability under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Why does it matter?
No UK law names "PAT testing" specifically or mandates a fixed annual cycle. The duty under Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Regulation 4(2) is to maintain electrical systems so as to prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable. How you demonstrate that duty is met is for the duty holder to decide, based on risk, which is why the register and the evidence it contains matter far more than any sticker on the plug.
How do I get it, and is it up to date?
The PDF downloads the moment you check out, prints sharp in black and white, and opens on any phone. It is reviewed for August 2026 and you get any future update free when the official guidance changes.
A daily premises walk-round catches the failures that injure people and trigger enforcement before they hurt anyone: wedged fire doors, blocked escape routes, wet floors with no sign, and water outlets sitting unused long enough to breed legionella. It costs nothing and a new starter can do it. Missing these is what brings injuries, an Improvement or Prohibition Notice under the Fire Safety Order 2005, and prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Your temperature and flushing records are the main legal evidence that you are controlling Legionella, the bacteria that causes Legionnaires' disease (a pneumonia that can kill). Done properly, these records protect occupants and give you a defence if the HSE inspects; done as ticks with no readings, they are treated as no records at all and have led to UK prosecutions and six-figure fines.
This logbook is the duty holder's running proof that Legionella bacteria are being actively controlled in the building's water system, as required under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, COSHH Regulations 2002, and the L8 Approved Code of Practice. Without it, an HSE inspector has no evidence that legal duties have been met, and a confirmed case of Legionnaires' disease on premises with no records can lead to prosecution, unlimited fines, and imprisonment for up to two years.
