Electrical Installation Condition Reports, (EICR)
The two main elements of Electrical Certification are Initial Verification and Electrical Installation Condition Reports, (EICR.) Both test electrical installations at different stages; on construction and thereafter periodically respectively. If you are a landlord, property owner, or a facilities manager, you are responsible for ensuring that your properties are electrically safe. This covers any installations in the property that supply electricity, electrical fixtures and fittings, and any appliances provided by you under the tenancy or lease. (PAT). You may know this document as an Electrical Safety Certificate, and it must meet the current legal requirements. For a commercial property, as a minimum, an electrical safety inspection must be carried out at intervals of no more than 5 years from the date of the previous inspection. A copy of the most recent report must be provided to the relevant authorities upon request. Some properties require inspections every 3 years, or even 1. It is the responsibility of the property owner or management team to check which applies to the property they are responsible for.
Emergency Lighting testing
Emergency lighting is covered by British Standards BS 5266-1: 2011. If you are responsible for residential hotels, clubs, hospitals, nursing homes, schools and colleges, licensed premises, offices, museums, shops, multi-storey dwellings, etc. then you are must have emergency lighting too. Please note that BS 5266-1: 2011 are the minimum standards required, it is advised that installations are to a higher calibre. Emergency lighting can be either: ‘Emergency escape lighting,’ ‘Standby lighting.’ ‘Escape route lighting,’ ‘Open area lighting,’ or ‘High risk task area lighting.’ They can also be either ‘Self-Contained,’ ‘Single Point,’ or ‘Central Battery Source’ operated. It is imporant to have a proffesional assess the specific needs for each installation. Emergency lighting systems should be visually inspected monthly for damage and anually, a full 3hr battery drain test needs to be conducted.
Thermal Imaging Survey
Infrared (thermal imaging) is a very modern, non-invasive technology that allows testing engineers to assess potential problems with the fixed wiring in buildings that can’t be revealed using conventional inspection methods. The reports and images created are just as important as the reports generated for traditional inspections. The beauty of utilising Thermal Imaging reports, is that the results are uniquely accurate and in some cases, essentially instant, so that any faults or issues that are not obvious to the naked eye, can be found and flagged quickly, and safely.
EIC Reports
EICRs must be kept for the lifetime of the installation they are related to. They should be available for any following inspections. We use MyDocs to safely and securely share our reports with you. It also means you can share any further documents with us too such as building certifications or floor plans, by simply uploadng them to your customer portal. Your new EICR report will include such things as the items inspected and tested, the circuit details and test results, observations and recommendations and of course, full details of any problems, faults and issues that must be addressed. This helps you gain a full understanding of the state of the electrical installation, and what you need to do to ensure it is compliant with regulations. We also provide the full premises report service to include Electrical, Gas, Fire and Air Con certification.
Remedial Works
To ensure the ongoing integrity of any electrical installation within a building, any faults or issues must be fixed within a certain time frame, 28 days if a rental. These faults and issues are identified by such processes as ‘Fixed Wire Testing’ and a ‘Thermal Survey.’ The remedial work is necessary to address those problems and must be undertaken in compliance with safety rules and regulations. Remedial work can cover such things as: “damage, deterioration, defects and dangerous conditions within the installation.” You will receive your EICR report and it may contain ‘C1,’ ‘C2,’ or ‘C3’ codes, or ‘further investigation’ recommendations. C3 codes do not legally require action, but it is advised, whereas C1 and C2 do need action to be taken as they do mean that the relevant installation elements do not meet the correct standards and are therefore not compliant with Health and Safety legislation and/or are potentially dangerous.
Fire Safety.
Below is a guide to fire alarm inspections; these has been broken down into types of systems:
Grade A Fire Alarm system
Grade A fire alarm systems have the following requirements;
Smoke Detectors.
Heat Detectors.
Manual Call Points.
Central Control Panel.
They are usually found in a commercial property, but can also be installed in homes.
Grade D Fire Alarm System:
A Grade D fire alarm system is usually interlinked smoke/Heat alarms, this system can be found in most domestic properties.
A full test of the fire alarm system should be carried out every 6 months. The test should be carried out by a competent person. The fire alarm test should be carried out in accordance with BS5839 part 1 section 6. Once the test is completed it should be put in the log book. On completion of your fire alarm testing you should receive a fire alarm certificate.
Tests Carried Out
All smoke and heat detectors will be tested for functionality. Bells and sounders will be operated and assessed to ensure that they provide sufficient sound levels in all areas. Fire panels, their batteries and all cable joints where accessible will be checked for integrity and functionality.
Test Results
Asset Register (inventory of all items tested, together with locations)
Test Data (results of tests carried out on all detectors)
Detailed instructions to client regarding interim testing requirements and method of achieving them)
Log Book (document for client to record all interim routine tests and any remedial actions required and subsequently taken)
