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The PAT, or "Portable Appliance Test" (calling it a PAT test is a tautology ) is a basic electrical safety test which should be carried out regularly on all portable electrical devices in a non-domestic environment. The test may involve an electrical test - done by a device known as a PAT Tester, and equally importantly, a visual inspection.

While there is no legal requirement to carry out such a test, it is one way in which an employer can demonstrate that they are complying with the Electricity at Work regulations.

Many venues will not accept hired or incoming equipment unless it can be shown to have recently satisfied a PAT.

The frequency of such tests depends on several factors, and the testing schedule is generally determined by the Health & Safety procedures of the organisation.

It is vitally important that PAT results are recorded centrally, in addition to the "tested" stickers which appear on appliances.