We are often asked why we should have an electrical inspection when there is nothing wrong. The truth of the matter is without a full test you cannot ensure everything is safe and working as designed. Just because the fuse never blows or all your machines are working does not mean that the earth will do its job in case of a fault. For example an appliance constructed of metal and no earth connection or high resistance at a socket could result in the metal being live to touch making the direct path of the eletrical current to earth being through the person touching it.

So therefore the much overlooked item of testing is highly important to safe guard the safety of you and your employees.

All our testing is carried out to BS 7671 and the information is collected and stored on our PC. This is then printed onto NICEIC Certificates which help if there are any enquiries in the future for a loss Certificate. All of our installations are tested out as standard practice for a NICEIC Contractor and we offer periodic inspections to exsisting installations as more and more companies are now requesting these.

Every electrical installation deteriorates with use and time. Therefore, if the safety of the users is not to be put at risk, it is important that every installation is periodically inspected and tested by a competent person. Indeed, it is recommended in BS 7671: 2008 (Regulation 135.1) that every electrical installation is subjected to periodic inspection and testing.

The inspection and testing should be carried out at appropriate intervals in order to determine what, if anything needs to be done to maintain the installation in a safe and serviceable condition.

The results of the inspection and testing needs to be clearly detailed in a report. Appropriate recommendation should be made for any damage, deterioration and defects observed that may give rise to danger to be remedied, such that the installation may continue to be used in safety.

A periodic inspection report is, as its title indicates, a report and not a certificate. It relates to an assessment of the in-service condition of an electrical installation against the requirements of the inspection, irrespective of the age of the installation.

The report is primarily for the benefit of the person ordering the work, and of the persons subsequently involved in additional or remedied work, or further inspections. The report may be required for one or more of a variety of reasons, each of whom may impose particular requirements or limitations of the inspection and testing.

The report is required to include details of the extent of the installation and of any limitations of the inspection and testing, including the reasons for any such limitations. It should be noted that the greater the limitations applying, the lesser is the scope of the inspection and testing carried out and hence the value of the report is correspondingly diminished. The report is also required to include a record of the inspection and the results of testing.

The report provides a formal declaration that within the agreed and stated limitation, the details recorded, including the observations and recommendations and the completed schedules of inspection and test results give an accurate assessment of the condition of the electrical installation at the time it was inspected.

Purpose of periodic inspection, testing and reporting
The main purpose of periodic inspection and testing is to detect so far as reasonably practicable and to report on any factors impairing or likely to impair the safety of an electrical installation.The aspects to be covered include all of the following:

   • Safety of persons against the effects of the electric shock and burns
   • Protection against damage to property by fire and heat arising from an installation defect
   • Confirmation that the installation is not damaged or deteriorated so as to impair safety
   • Identification of non-compliance with the current issue of BS 7671 or installation defects which may give rise to danger