Do workshop tools need a new PAT label before sale?
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A workshop tool does not automatically need a new PAT sticker simply because it is being sold. That does not answer whether the tool is safe to supply, or whether further inspection or testing is needed.
For Great Britain, HSE's portable appliance testing guidance explains that the law does not specify annual PAT testing for every electrical appliance. The appropriate maintenance approach depends on the equipment and circumstances. Check Northern Ireland requirements separately.
Start with the actual tool, its history and the available records. Ordering a batch of stickers is not a condition assessment.
Four different pieces of evidence
| Evidence | What it can tell you | What it cannot settle by itself |
|---|---|---|
| Label attached to tool | Recorded identifier and any legible test/date details | Whether the label belongs to this tool or reflects its present condition |
| Inspection or test report | Equipment identity, date, scope and recorded findings | Damage or changes after that assessment |
| Current condition information | Known faults, damaged parts, storage and recent use | Results of tests nobody has performed |
| Competent assessment | Findings within the person's agreed scope | Every other aspect of the machine or its future installation |
Match the equipment identifier before matching the date. A report for an old drill replaced last year belongs in the records archive, not in the replacement drill's sale folder.
Photograph labels as evidence, but keep the written report where available. A buyer may need to understand the scope and findings that a small sticker cannot contain.
Ask a useful question
Instead of asking someone to “PAT everything”, provide a list identifying the equipment, its supply arrangement, known defects, use history and intended sale. Ask a competent person what assessment is appropriate and what their report will cover. Keep unresolved items out of any blanket statement that the workshop equipment is ready to use.
Treat tools, chargers and supplied accessories as identifiable items. The cordless tool-kit manifest helps avoid counting a tested charger as evidence for every battery and tool in its case. An electrical test meter's calibration record answers another question again; it is not a substitute for electrical condition information.
Write the catalogue entry from the evidence
State the report date and identifier when verified. Describe known defects clearly. Avoid “fully certified” when the only evidence is a sticker, and do not convert “untested” into an assurance that a tool works.
A pillar drill's guarding and specification still need their own review. Likewise, a portable generator's output information needs more than an electrical test label. Keep each evidence type attached to its actual claim.
Send the inventory and unresolved electrical questions to UK Auction Group when discussing the sale. Agree which items need further assessment before the catalogue is approved.
Explore the workshops and tools guides.
Sources
- UK Auction Group: contact Checked
- HSE: portable appliance testing FAQs Checked
This guide gives general information. Equipment-specific, legal, tax and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser or competent specialist. The guides do not promise sale prices, fees or results.