A Visual and Combined Test and Inspection, Should be done before Item is Hired and a Formal Visual Inspection should be done upon return. 

Hotels, before each guest occupies a room, a visual inspection should be done to check for equipment damage, or loose wires.

Hotels should have a full testing regime by a certified Pat Testing Professional at least every 12 months. 

Because of the nature of construction sites, and building in general, power tools get a beating, bricks dropped, in puddles, or prized out of concrete, and are deemed higher risk than most other industries. 

The Construction Tools USER, should visually check his tools, before every use, for signs of damage, the general rule is any cracks, or any wires showing. DO NOT USE, or Bring in a Pat Tester. 

A FORMAL Visual inspection, should be carried out on 110V construction tools (Monthly) 230V or Fixed RCD should be weekly checks.

A Full Test, should be carried out every 3 months, for both 110v Tools, and RCD protected tools, but for 230v it should be Monthly.

The USER before picking up the item, should visually check for damage or exposed wires, and if unsure if safe or not, bring in a PAT Tester. 

As a general rule of thumb, its better to be safe than sorry, we often conduct the FULL Pat Tests every 6 months, but as standard it can be 12 Months, with onsite Health and Safety Officers, and Electrical Engineers on the payroll.

Most equipment is stationary, but movable and sometimes transfers from location to location, new equipment in, old equipment into a store room. We consider this relatively low risk (but always find a couple of items that should be removed from the premises after a FULL Pat Test).

The risk to your business or environment is greater, and you often have a need to satisfy, Public Liability Insurance, Employers Liability and the General Health and Safety in the workplace. 

So often, we fix this as a 12 month testing regime to work in line with the other industries that require us to do so. 

The Official Pat Testing Guidebook does say 2-4 years. 

Wedding suppliers testing is unique, as all the equipment is mobile or fully portable and loaned or hired, manned or unmanned within a Hotel setting.

Hotels have VERY strict policies on their suppliers because it has been tested time and time again, THEIR insurance wont pay out, if its a problem from an external suppliers equipment failure which ultimately results in a claim. 

They will require you to be Pat Tested each and every year. (12 Months)