I was stopped from using my lap top in collage as it was not PAT tested so that night I tested it and wrote out the paperwork. Next day back in college I handed over the paper work. And got reply "I don't want that has to be tested by our own in-house people" this it seems was their IT department who then said "Oh it's OK just use it and say I said it was OK" I tell you this as you may find the school is the same and all electrical equipment has to be tested by an approved tester within their organisation.
All PAT testing should be done with consideration for the environment in which the equipment is used so in theory it should be tested where it is being used.
Extension leads especially. As where the outlets are to BS7671:2008 long leads may be OK but where wired to a previous edition then they may need RCD plugs to pass.
Of course for you to be trained on how to test and inspect would be good and C&G 2377 is normally considered as showing you have the required skill. And of course you should have an equipment register and all items should be accounted for. However there is no need for labels only the forms which you can download
here pages 19 to 26 are for PAT testing and if you look at forms page 21 is bit you need to fill in and 22 gives a description on what each item means 1 to 30.
You want
BS 7671:2008 forms click here to directly download PDF one you see the form you will have a far better idea of what is required. Don't worry about pages before 19 they are for the permanent wiring.
But do check with school as they may need to do it them selves and you may be doing this all for no reason.
Where I worked I would re-test and inspect all contractors equipment as we were responsible for health and safety of the site. And when I caught contractors on the roof without safety harnesses I expelled them from site. I could not sack them but I could remove site pass. And having seen some of the tested equipment no way would I ever accept any one but direct employees signature on any test certificate.
All too often PAT testing could be better called "Label Sticking" as sorry to say many firms just give each item a glance and stick on a label. How else could anyone PAT test 300 items per day?
What if they get caught! Well it was not like that when I tested it. Unless you set a trap near impossible to catch them out. If you can prove it was unserviceable before testing and you allowed it to be used then you have just shot yourself in the foot as you should have stopped it from being used.
So for many firms sad to say PAT testing is not worth the paper it is written on.
Of course many also do a good job. But I would be very wary of sub contracting the job as even national firms seem to regard it as just a way to make money.
Further reading
Regina v Associated Octel Ltd it does seem the school would be safer to do their own PAT testing to avoid any court case.
