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5.6 - PAT Testing: What You Need to Know

PAT testing - Portable Appliance Testing - is one of those things that sounds like a legal requirement but technically isn't. Except your insurer probably requires it, your landlord almost certainly requires it, and if a faulty appliance injures a client or starts a fire, the first question you'll be asked is "when was it last PAT tested?" This guide explains what PAT testing is, what needs testing, how often, how much it costs, and what happens if you skip it.

Quick rule of thumb: if it has a plug and you use it on or near clients, get it PAT tested annually. It costs £1-3 per item. That's less than one set of lash extensions.

Tip for new starters: Book your first PAT test before you start seeing clients. It costs about £40-60 for a small setup and takes under an hour. If a straightener faults and burns someone on your first week, "I hadn't got round to it yet" is not a defence.

What is PAT testing?

Portable Appliance Testing is a process of checking electrical equipment to make sure it's safe to use. It involves:

1. Visual inspection - checking the plug, cable, and casing for damage, wear, or defects.
2. Electrical testing - using a PAT tester (a handheld device) to check earth continuity, insulation resistance, and polarity. This detects internal faults that you can't see.

When an item passes, it gets a sticker showing the test date and next test due date. The results are recorded in a PAT register (a log of all tested items).

PAT testing is not a legal requirement in itself. There's no law that says "you must PAT test." But the legal framework around it makes it effectively compulsory for most beauty businesses.

The legal framework

Electricity at Work Regulations 1989

Regulation 4 says that all electrical systems (including equipment) must be maintained to prevent danger. This means you have a legal duty to make sure your electrical equipment is safe. PAT testing is the recognised way to demonstrate this.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Section 2 (duty to employees) and Section 3 (duty to others, including clients) require you to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of anyone affected by your work. Using untested or faulty electrical equipment near clients breaches this.

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)

Regulation 5 says work equipment must be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order, and in good repair. PAT testing provides evidence that you're meeting this requirement.

The HSE's position: The HSE doesn't mandate PAT testing by name. Their guidance says that "in-service inspection and testing" of electrical equipment should be proportionate to the risk. For a beauty business using equipment on or near clients - including mains-powered devices near water and skin - annual PAT testing is considered proportionate.

What needs PAT testing

Anything with a plug that you use in your business. Here's a comprehensive list for beauty professionals:

Hair equipment

• Hairdryers
• Straightening irons / flat irons
• Curling tongs / wands
• Clippers and trimmers
• Hood dryers
• Steamers
• Roller sets (heated)
• Climazone / accelerator units

Nail equipment

• UV lamps / LED lamps
• Nail drills / e-files
• Dust extraction units
• Wax heaters (for paraffin wax treatments)

Beauty and aesthetics equipment

• Wax heaters / wax pots
• Hot towel cabinets
• Facial steamers
• Microcurrent devices
• Radiofrequency machines
• Laser / IPL machines
• Magnifying lamps
• Skin analysis devices
• LED light therapy panels

General

• Kettles
• Microwaves
• Phone chargers
• Laptops and tablets (used for booking systems)
• Extension leads and multi-socket adapters
• Desk lamps
• Fans and heaters
• Till / card machine

Basically: if it plugs in and you use it at work, it needs testing.

How often should you PAT test?

The HSE doesn't set fixed intervals. Their guidance is risk-based. But industry practice and insurer expectations give clear benchmarks:

The practical answer: Test everything annually. It's simple, it's what insurers expect, and it means you don't have to track different items on different schedules.

Between formal tests, do your own visual checks:

• Before each use: is the cable damaged? Is the plug cracked? Is the casing intact? Does it smell of burning?
• Monthly: check all plugs, cables, and sockets for wear.
• Any time equipment behaves unusually (sparking, intermittent power, getting unusually hot): stop using it immediately and get it tested or replaced.

How much does PAT testing cost?

Option 1: Hire a PAT tester

A registered PAT tester visits your premises and tests all your equipment. Typical costs:

• £1-3 per item for a standard test
• Minimum call-out fee: £30-60 (so if you only have 10 items, it's more cost-effective to combine with other businesses or wait until you have more items)
• Average salon (20-30 items): £50-80 total
• Small home salon (10-15 items): £40-60 total

Many PAT testers offer annual contracts where they return every 12 months at a set price. This is convenient and usually cheaper per visit.

How to find a PAT tester:

• The NICEIC, ECA, and NAPIT maintain registers of qualified electricians, many of whom offer PAT testing.
• Local classified ads, Google, or Checkatrade.
• Ask your landlord - they may have a preferred tester or include PAT testing in your lease.

What to look for: The tester should be competent (City & Guilds 2377 or equivalent qualification) and carry their own insurance. They should provide a full PAT register with results for every item tested.

Option 2: Buy your own PAT tester

You can buy a basic PAT tester and do it yourself. You don't need to be a qualified electrician to PAT test, but you do need to understand what you're testing and what the results mean.

• Basic PAT tester: £50-100 (e.g., Megger PAT120, Kewtech KT71)
• Labels/stickers: £5-10 for a roll of 200+
• Training: Free online guides and YouTube videos from PAT tester manufacturers, or a short course (£50-150 for a half-day)

Is DIY PAT testing worth it? If you have 10-15 items and test annually, you'd spend £40-60 on a professional each year. A PAT tester costs £50-100 one-off. After the first year, you're saving money - but only if you're confident you're doing it correctly. If you miss a fault and someone gets hurt, "I tested it myself" is a weaker defence than "it was tested by a qualified professional."

For most sole traders, hiring a professional once a year is simpler and safer.

What happens when equipment fails

If an item fails its PAT test:

1. Stop using it immediately. Remove it from service. Put a "DO NOT USE" label on it.
2. Decide: repair or replace. For a £15 hairdryer, replacement is usually cheaper than repair. For a £300 UV lamp or a £2,000 laser machine, repair may be worth it.
3. If repaired: It must be retested before going back into service.
4. Record the failure in your PAT register, along with the action taken (removed from service, repaired, replaced).
5. If replacing: PAT test the new item before first use.

Common failure reasons:

• Damaged cable insulation (from wrapping cables tightly around devices - hairdryers are notorious for this)
• Cracked or damaged plugs
• Earth continuity failure (the earth wire is broken inside the cable or plug)
• Insulation resistance failure (internal insulation has degraded)

Record keeping

Keep a PAT register - a record of every item tested. This can be a paper log, a spreadsheet, or a digital record from your PAT tester.

For each item, record:

Keep PAT records for at least 5 years. Your insurer may ask to see them at any time.

PAT stickers: Each item that passes gets a sticker showing the test date, next test due, and tester name/company. These are visible evidence that the item has been tested. If a client or inspector asks, they can see at a glance that your equipment is current.

PAT testing for mobile workers

If you're a mobile beauty professional, all your portable equipment needs PAT testing - and it's arguably more important because:

• You're plugging your equipment into sockets you don't own, in properties you don't control. A faulty appliance in a client's home is your responsibility, not theirs.
• Your equipment gets transported, bumped, and jostled more than salon-based equipment. Cables take more wear. Plugs take more knocks.
• If your equipment causes damage or injury at a client's property, you're liable.

The same rules apply: Annual testing, PAT stickers, PAT register. The fact that you're mobile doesn't change anything except that your equipment probably needs testing more often, not less.

Home salon: do you need PAT testing?

Technically: If your equipment is used only by you in a domestic setting and you have no employees, PAT testing is not strictly required. Your home equipment falls under general domestic use.

Practically: The moment you use equipment on a client - even in your own home - it becomes work equipment covered by PUWER and the Electricity at Work Regulations. You owe a duty of care to your clients under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Our recommendation: Get it PAT tested. It costs £40-60 per year. It protects you, protects your clients, and satisfies your insurer. The "it's my home so I don't need to" argument won't help you if a client is burned by a faulty straightener in your spare room.

What your insurer thinks

Check your insurance policy. Most professional liability and public liability policies for beauty professionals include wording requiring equipment to be "maintained in safe working order" or "regularly inspected and tested." Some specifically mention PAT testing.

If equipment you haven't tested causes injury or damage, your insurer may argue you failed to maintain it properly and reduce or refuse your claim. The cost of PAT testing is negligible compared to the cost of an uninsured claim.

Quick checklist

• List every item with a plug that you use at work
• Book annual PAT testing with a qualified tester (or buy your own tester)
• Do visual checks on cables and plugs before use
• Keep a PAT register with results for every item
• Replace or repair any item that fails
• Check your insurance policy for PAT testing requirements
• If you're a mobile worker, remember your equipment needs testing too
• Don't wrap cables tightly around devices - it damages the insulation

What to do next

1. Count your electrical equipment. Everything with a plug.
2. Book a PAT test. Search for local PAT testers or ask your landlord.
3. Check your insurance policy for specific PAT requirements.
4. Start doing visual checks before each use - make it a habit.
5. If anything looks damaged, stop using it today.

Who to Contact

• HSE (Health and Safety Executive): 0300 003 1647 (Free) - Guidance on electrical safety and equipment maintenance: hse.gov.uk
• NICEIC: niceic.com - Find a registered electrician/PAT tester (Free to search)
• ECA (Electrical Contractors' Association): eca.co.uk - Registered electricians (Free to search)
• NAPIT: napit.org.uk - Registered electricians (Free to search)
• Your insurer: Check your policy wording on equipment testing (Paid)

Sources

• Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
• HSE guidance document INDG236: Maintaining portable electric equipment in low-risk environments
• IET Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment (5th Edition)

Related Guides

• Fire Safety and Risk Assessment
• COSHH for Self-Employed Hairdressers
• COSHH for Mobile and Home-Based Workers
• Sterilisation and Infection Control
• Insurance for Self-Employed Beauty Workers

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