Portable electrical equipment inspection and defect log
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 7 October 2026
- Reviewed
- 7 October 2026
- Audience
- Primary and secondary maintained and academy schools in England, where the school chooses to use records, labels or asset identifiers to monitor portable electrical equipment maintenance.
- Jurisdiction
- england
Blank fields · read-only preview
Scope and applicability
Use this record where the school chooses to maintain administrative records, labels or asset identifiers for portable electrical equipment. Electrical equipment that has the potential to cause injury should be maintained in a safe condition. The cited HSE guidance states that inspection or testing at a particular interval, annual testing, labelling and record keeping are not specified as legal requirements; records and labels may be used as management tools to monitor and review a maintenance scheme.
Is this record being used as part of the school's chosen maintenance-monitoring scheme?
RequiredComplete the remaining fields when the school has chosen to use this record, an equipment label or an asset identifier for monitoring or reviewing the scheme.
- Tick when complete
Record details
School or site name
RequiredEnter the school or site to which this record relates.
Enter school or site name
Record reference
Use the school's reference or filing identifier, if applicable.
Enter record reference
Person or role responsible for maintaining this record
RequiredEnter a named person or role responsible for updating the record.
Enter name or role
Equipment identification
Equipment or asset identifier
RequiredEnter the identifier used by the school, if one is used. This may correspond to an equipment label or asset record.
Enter asset or equipment ID
Equipment description
RequiredDescribe the appliance or portable electrical equipment sufficiently to distinguish it from other items.
Enter equipment description
Usual location or department
RequiredEnter where the equipment is normally kept or used.
Enter room, building or department
Responsible department or equipment custodian
Enter the department, team or role responsible for the equipment.
Enter department or role
Equipment category
RequiredSelect all categories that describe the equipment.
Choose all that apply
- Office or administrative equipment
- Classroom or teaching equipment
- Catering or kitchen equipment
- Cleaning equipment
- Workshop, design or technology equipment
- ICT or audiovisual equipment
- Other
If other, please specify
Checks, inspection and testing
Was a user check completed before use or continued use?
RequiredRecord the outcome where the school's maintenance scheme includes user checks. Do not use this field to imply that a particular check frequency is legally required.
Choose one
- Yes — no defect identified
- Yes — defect identified
- Not completed
- Not applicable under the chosen scheme
- Other
If other, please specify
Visual inspection outcome
RequiredRecord the outcome if a visual inspection is included in the school's chosen maintenance scheme.
Choose one
- Pass
- Fail
- Not completed
- Not applicable under the chosen scheme
- Other
If other, please specify
Inspection or test undertaken
RequiredSelect the activity undertaken, if any. The cited HSE guidance does not require inspection or testing at a specified frequency.
Choose one
- Visual inspection only
- Inspection and electrical test
- No inspection or test recorded
- Other
If other, please specify
Date of inspection or test
Enter the date only if an inspection or test was undertaken.
- Day
- Month
- Year
Person or organisation carrying out the inspection or test
Enter the person, role or organisation that carried out the recorded activity, if applicable.
Enter person, role or organisation
Next review date under the chosen scheme
Enter the date selected by the school for reviewing this equipment or the maintenance scheme. Do not treat this as an automatically required annual test date.
- Day
- Month
- Year
Defects and action taken
Defect status
RequiredRecord the current status of any defect. If equipment could cause injury, record controls that maintain it in a safe condition.
Choose one
- No defect identified
- Defect identified — action outstanding
- Removed from use
- Repair completed
- Disposed of or otherwise taken out of service
- Other
If other, please specify
Defect or issue description
RequiredDescribe the defect, damage, failed check or other issue. Enter “No defect identified” where appropriate.
Describe the defect or record that none was identified
Was the equipment removed from use?
RequiredComplete where a defect resulted in the equipment being removed from use.
- Tick when complete
Date removed from use
Complete only if the equipment was removed from use.
- Day
- Month
- Year
Repair or other corrective action
Describe the repair, isolation, replacement, disposal or other action taken or planned.
Describe action taken or planned
Date corrective action completed
Complete when the corrective action has been completed.
- Day
- Month
- Year
Maintenance scheme review
Outcome of reviewing this record or the maintenance scheme
RequiredUse this field to support monitoring and review of the scheme where the school has chosen to keep records.
Choose one
- Continue current arrangements
- Amend arrangements
- Further investigation required
- Not yet reviewed
- Other
If other, please specify
Date of scheme review
Enter the date on which this record or the maintenance scheme was reviewed.
- Day
- Month
- Year
Additional notes
Record any further information relevant to identification, inspection, defects, repairs, removal from use or review.
Enter additional notes