Electrical safety is something that can not be overlooked. A simple accident may cause an untold amount of damage to the property and people. Many regulations and standards are enforced to ensure electrical safety. These regulations also provide that your business is operating in a safe environment.
Periodic inspection plus testing of fixed electrical installations or portable appliances by certified electricians at Hexo Electrical Testing is the best method of ensuring compliance with the relevant health and safety laws.
Testing of the electrical installations must consist of both visual inspections and detailed tests. The type of electrical installations help determine which kind of inspection would be most suitable. There are three types of inspections;
- Initial Verification Inspection and Testing: carried out for newly built or altered systems before activating them and starting the operations.
- Periodic Inspection and Testing: the fixed wire tests for the existing electrical installations.
- Portable Appliance Testing (PAT): carried out for portable electrical appliances.
In addition to a more profound analysis, a simple visual inspection of the electrical equipment may be carried out regularly. Sometimes, a trained electrician can determine an electrical system’s feasibility at a mere glance and discover where the fault lies (if any).
Initial Inspection of Fixed Electrical Installations
Fixed electrical installations must be certified for safety and compliance with the BS-7671:2018. This certification is required whether the facility is completely new or it involves alteration in the existing arrangement.
Periodic Inspection of Fixed Electrical Installations
Periodic testing of an electrical installation may be carried out at regular intervals to ensure compliance and safety. All existing or potential defects must be highlighted and rectified by the certified electrician or engineer. The experts from solderstick.com can explain how all existing or potential defects must be highlighted and rectified by the certified electrician or engineer. A new report is issued after corrective works are complete.
Fixed Wire Testing
It is also sometimes known as Fixed Electrical Testing or Fixed Installation Testing.
This test is one of the most commonly known electrical tests. It involves testing the electrical systems and circuits responsible for distributing electricity throughout a building or a property. Fixed wire testing covers all hard wiring in a building regardless of the said building being commercial, residential, or industrial.
All the circuits involved in power distribution, consumer units and distribution boards are included in fixed wire testing. It identifies any potential dangers within an electrical installation. It reveals if there exists a lack of earthing or bonding, potentially overloaded circuits, or incorrect installations. Once all the problems are identified, the electrician works to rectify them.
After the fixed wire testing is done, you may receive an Electric Installation Condition Report (EICR) certificate. This certificate will be your proof of compliance with the regulations. You may even present it in a court of law (if required).
The Necessity of Fixed Wire Testing
Fixed wire testing is legally required for employers or business owners. They must ensure that all electrical wiring or equipment is safe and regularly maintained. That’s the only way to comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989.
Some insurance companies, licensing authorities and landlords also require proof of fixed wire testing before committing to a contract. A lack of relevant certification may result in the breach of the said contract.
The frequency of fixed wire testing for compliance depends on several factors, such as usage, internal or external influences, age of the system, etc.
Suppose a business owner cannot prove that the electrical installations in their property are safe. In that case, they may be committing a criminal offence.
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