PAT testing. How often, and what checks.

No. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require equipment that could cause injury to be kept in a safe condition, but they don't say how or how often. PAT testing, alongside visual checks, is one of the usual ways employers show they are doing that.

User checks are quick looks before use for damage to the plug, cable and case. A formal visual inspection is a more thorough, recorded check by a trained person, including inside the plug where possible. A combined inspection and test is the visual inspection plus electrical tests with a PAT tester, such as earth continuity and insulation resistance.

No. They are HSE's suggested starting points. Shorten them if checks keep finding damage, or lengthen them if equipment stays in good condition over time.

New equipment should arrive safe, so it doesn't normally need a test straight away. Give it a quick visual check for damage before it is first used.

User checks and formal visual inspections can be done by a sensible member of staff who has been trained. Combined inspection and testing needs someone competent with the right test equipment, who knows how to use it and how to read the results.

There is no legal requirement for either. They are still worth keeping, because they show a maintenance system exists and help you adjust the intervals.