With only 8 days until Christmas…. Who already has Christmas lights up in their workplace? Is your office lacking the festival sparkle that comes from Christmas lights because you’re scared they’re not totally safe?And who takes care of PAT testing Christmas lights?

Many firms don’t bother putting their lights up because they are worried of the consequences should they put them up and they not be safe. Others spend money every year, buying new ones instead or having the old ones PAT tested each time.

Most of us will be getting out our lights over the next few weeks. They’ve probably been living in a cupboard or gathering dust in the loft somewhere for the last 11 months, gradually tangling themselves together into completely unreasonable knots!

Once you’ve got them out (and designated one of your employees the tedious task of untangling them all!), before you do anything else, subject them to a visual check. Check for any obvious signs of damage to the cable, the plug and the lights themselves. If anything looks dangerous, or doesn’t look quite right, don’t use it and get it PAT tested by a professional to be sure.

Is PAT Testing required EVERY year?

Good news! PAT Testing Christmas lights is NOT actually a legal requirement every year, particularly in an office. It its only a legal requirement annually in high-risk environments; construction sites, for example, but it’s pretty unlikely you’ll be putting any Christmas lights up in one of those. But you never know!

So, with this in mind, we can tell you that Christmas lights do not need to be PAT tested EVERY year. Instead, testing them every couple of years is ideal, just to make sure they’re still working as they should. There are a couple of exceptions, as always, to the rule. Outdoor lights are more likely to be subject to damage so should be tested more regularly. If you are ever unsure though, talk to a professional who can help and advise you on what’s best for your situation.