07576 584901Testmasterinfo@gmail.com 24/7 online enquiries About Services Areas ReviewsOur WorkSocialContact07576 584901Request a Free Quote Home/Blog/PAT testingPAT testing # How to prepare an office for PAT testing without unnecessary disruption By Test Master UK25 October 20262 min read Service illustration: pat testingAn office PAT testing visit runs more smoothly when the appliance list and interruption plan are agreed before the engineer arrives. The most useful preparation is not tidying every desk perfectly; it is making sure equipment can be identified, accessed and safely disconnected where the agreed inspection or test requires it. ## Count beyond the desks Include kitchen appliances, meeting-room screens, printers, portable heaters, chargers and extension leads as well as computers. Check store cupboards and equipment used only occasionally. Estimate quantities honestly and say whether the count includes spare or boxed items, so the quote and attendance plan cover the same scope. Different equipment may need different treatment. Identify items that are hard-wired, leased or maintained under another contract, and ask how they should be handled. Do not assume a portable appliance visit includes a complete assessment of the fixed electrical installation. ## Agree the IT and business interruption plan Tell the tester about servers, network equipment, specialist devices and anything that cannot simply be unplugged. The method and timing should be agreed with the people responsible for those systems. Save work and arrange suitable access windows; no general promise of zero downtime should override safe testing. If equipment is shared across teams, appoint a contact who can resolve access questions on the day. A tester should not have to guess who can authorise a shutdown or whether a device is supporting a critical process. ## Make identification and access straightforward Provide the previous register if available. Matching asset numbers helps distinguish repeat items from replacements and avoids losing the history of a recurring fault. Clear access to plugs and cables where it is safe to do so, and highlight equipment hidden behind furniture rather than asking someone to move heavy items without a plan. Book office PAT testing with your approximate equipment count and preferred access times. If the fixed installation also needs review, request commercial EICR testing as a separate scope. ## Plan for the results, not just the appointment Agree who will receive the register and act on failed equipment. Unsafe items should not drift back into use because the report reached the wrong inbox. Keep replacements and repairs linked to the original asset where practical, and ask how repaired items will be checked before reuse. - Include kitchens, meeting rooms and stored equipment. - Identify systems requiring an agreed shutdown. - Share the previous appliance register. - Nominate an access contact and a results owner. ## Sources and further reading - HSE: Portable appliance testing FAQs - HSE: Maintaining portable electrical equipmentGeneral guidance for premises in England, checked on 5 November 2026. Requirements depend on your property, systems and applicable conditions. Follow competent advice, current official guidance and your local authority's requirements. ## In this guide - Count beyond the desks - Agree the IT and business interruption plan - Make identification and access straightforward - Plan for the results, not just the appointment ## Need testing for your premises? Greenford-based electrical and fire safety services across London. Get a free quote 07576 584901 ## Related guides All guides PAT testing · 2 min read ## What should you do when an appliance fails PAT testing? Manage a failed PAT testing result: prevent reuse, understand the defect, arrange suitable repair or replacement and update your appliance register. 24 October 2026 PAT testing · 2 min read ## PAT testing records: what a useful appliance register should contain Make PAT testing records easier to use with consistent asset IDs, locations, test outcomes, defect actions and risk-based review dates. 18 October 2026 Electrical and fire safety compliance testing for businesses, property managers and landlords across London and Greenford. Read our Google reviewsLeave us a review ## Services - PAT Testing - Commercial EICR Testing - Residential EICR Testing - Emergency Lighting Testing - Fire Alarm Testing - Fire Extinguisher Servicing - Fire Door Inspection - Fire Risk Assessments - Remedial Works for Fire Compliance ## Service Areas - Greenford - Central London - All London Boroughs - West London - North London - South London - East London - Ealing - Uxbridge - Slough - Watford ## Contact - 07576 584901 - Testmasterinfo@gmail.com - Postal address669 Greenford Road, UB6 8QL - LinkedInOpening hours: 24/7 online enquiries © 2026 Test Master Ltd. All rights reserved. HomeAboutReviewsOur WorkContactPrivacy PolicyTerms & ConditionsCookie Policy Call NowFree Quote Chat on WhatsApp