Inspection & Testing

Inspection, testing and verification is required for all new, and any alterations or additions to an electrical installation. The means by which this is provided takes one of two forms.

i) Initial Verification. Initial verification is, as the name suggests the first set of inspections and tests that a new installation shall undergo. Following a successful Initial Verification, you will receive either a full Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) or, if the work did not involve the provision of a new circuit, or a change in the circuit protection of multiple circuits, a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC)will be issued in accordance with BS7671:2018

ii) Electrical installation Condition Report (EICR),  Formally The Periodic Inspection Report (PIR). This is an official documented procedure of checking an existing installation against the current requirements of "BS7671: The requirements for electrical installations". If inspection of an installation is requested or required then on completion, an Electrical installation condition report (EICR) will be issued detailing any departures from the current version of BS7671 this form cannot be used for a new or an addition to an existing installation. Note, An EICR should contain any recommendations for improvement based on current edition of BS7671 and any departures from BS7671.

Older installations are not required to meet the latest standards, however they must atleast meet the standard for the time at which they were initially installed if this can be verified, and be in satisfactory condition based on current standards so as to prevent danger. Whilst an EICR on domestic installations has not previously been a legal requirement, a consultation on 'Electrical Safety in the Private Rental Sector' Started in February 2017 and completed in April 2018, the consultation is currently in review.

Domestic inspections are strongly recommended, in recent times regulations and the safety information contained within supplied reports have changed beyond all recognition.

The current guidance for inspection and testing of domestic properties is 10 years or change of occupancy. In the vast majority of cases domestic properties have never been inspected or tested in accordance with these requirements.

Remember if you are buying or selling a property have it inspected by a competent person, an electrical report may save you thousands or even more.

Periodic inspection report forms are no longer valid forms within BS7671, whilst the information contained therein is still of significant value, it was decided by the publishers and committees of the IET wiring regulations that the format required simplifying in order for recipients to better understand the content, sadly the new forms and format is longer and we feel less consumer friendly.

We provide Electrical Inspections in accordance with the latest Regulations, whilst we do include the standard forms we also include a detailed report in a clear understandable format.

Please, however do not rely on the home information pack or a surveyors report for your electrical safety it is very rarely covered in any detail within these documents.

Portable appliance testing (PAT).

Portable appliances should be tested regularly to certify that they comply with the requirements of In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, as required by the Electricity at Work Regulations and the Health and Safety Act.

it is the responsibility of the duty holder to ensure an appropriate and acceptable period of testing be established.

Changes to the Requirements for Electrical Installations

The Regulations concerning electrical installations within the UK have been amended once again, they are titled " BS7671:2018 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations." it is now finalised for print and was issued on the 1st of July 2018, they are fully in force as of the 1st January 2019.

Installations designed prior to publication may still be installed to the previous regulations, Installations designed after July 2018 may be designed to either but for obvious reasons the recommendation is to design and install to the latest edition.

Some of the main changes within the 18th edition include the following.

i) Requirement to consider the installation of an AFDD (Arc Fault Detection Device) on each final circuit, in laymen terms an AFDD is a device that can detect a break or split inside a cable and safely isolate the affected circuit before it causes a fire.

ii) A requirement to ensure all cable containment and supports can withstand the effects of fire without causing cables to fall from their supports, this has been extended from escape routes only in amendment 3 of the 17th edition to cover all location and cabled services, not just mains wiring.

iii) RCD protection has been extended to all circuits and socket outlets up to 63A, previously it was up to 32 A, there is a risk assessment option where a client can issue such paperwork to contractors where in certain circumstances the provision of RCD's can be omitted.

There are many more changes contained within the latest regulations, contact us today, we can arrange a comprehensive inspection of your electrical infrastructure and advise where you may make improvements and savings in energy efficiency.

All of our electricians and engineers are fully conversant with the requirements for electrical installations and regularly attend continued professional development training, we pride ourselves on providing an outstanding service and technical knowledge to all our customers and clients no matter what their size.