Testing

1. What does NICEIC stand for?

National Inspection Council for Electrical Installations Council

2. What is a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR)?

A Periodic Inspection Report, is a report on the general condition of an electrical installation on the day it is tested. The report consists of a six page document detailing condition of installation. On the report you receive a list of observations. Each observation is given a code so you know if something needs urgent attention or is a minor non-compliance to the standard.

As part of the process a cost for any remedial works will be attached, breaking quotation down into two parts, a cost for essential works to bring installation up to a satisfactory standard, and non-essential work, which is the general improvements and non-compliances.

3. Is installation testing a legal requirement?

There is no legal requirement to have electrical testing carried out, however you do have a duty of care to ensure your electrical system is safe at all times

The best way to show this is to have a Periodic Test and Inspection carried out, together with action to remedy any faults identified as a result of testing

If an accident does occur, where electricity is found to be the cause, then the duty is yours to show you did all you could to avoid the accident/offence. A Periodic inspection will provide the best proof of defence

4. Why do I need to have my wiring tested?

Any faults or weakness within your electrical wiring or with your appliances can go undetected.

Electricity will also find the easiest path to earth. In the event of any other fault developing this could lead to a serious risk of fire or electrocution or death. Fixed wiring testing will accurately and quickly identify faults, and their locations, and in turn will identify the recommended solutions

As an example a 13amp ring main without earth continuity could render all metal parts of appliances which you have plugged in as LIVE if any of the items developed a fault to the earth

5. Will testing cause a lot of disruption to the power?

Short periods of power outage will be necessary on each circuit, as most of the testing is carried out when the system is live, we can plan the outages around your daily activities

6. I am afraid that my electrical installation is quite old; wont testing open a can of works in terms of remedial cost?

All faults would be identified accurately so in many cases remedy costs won’t be too great
earthing is the major problem, and although this can be a potentially dangerous hazard it is not hugely expensive

7. Why have I not needed to have testing carried out before?

There is a requirement to satisfy health and safety legislation. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 outlines the need to maintain electrical installation safety. The best way to show duty of care is by producing in your defence test data results, should there be an accident which leads on to prosecution

8. Why have a Periodic Inspection Report?

The electrics within a property can degrade due to general wear and tear and age. An electrical installation designed and installed 30years ago may not meet safety standards and compliances today, please also be aware that it may not necessarily mean you have to fully rewire an installation but a check may highlight some necessary improvements. There are many things that are either not seen or known about the general condition of an installation and this should not be overlooked.

A light may come on but, it does not mean its 100% safe, a wire may be loose, the fuse controlling the circuit (MCB) may be overrated, which may cause the cable to overheat under fault conditions

9. What is involved in a Periodic Inspection?

Firstly there is a visual element to testing, are there signs of damage, aging accessories, wear and tear.

Accessories are removed off the wall to check the condition of connections, type of cable used, to ensure installed correctly and are suitable for intended purpose and continued use. The consumer unit; main supply; earthing arrangements are checked and tested. Each circuit is then tested instrumentally to check the cable is in good condition there is continuity throughout the circuit, and that the earth will protect the end user from electric shock under fault conditions. Any observations made during the inspection are listed and coded as follows:

Code 1 Requires urgent attention
Code 2 Requires improvement
Code 3 Reqires further attention
Code 4 Does not comply to BS7671

An official report and quotation will then be sent to you with in two days of our inspection

10. How will I know when my next test is due?

Our database stores all our clients, information, and you will receive a reminder notice when your next test is due

11. How often should I test my portable appliances?

The period between inspections is dependant on the environment the appliance is used in, the type of appliance and who the end user is.

12. Can I carry out portable appliance testing in house?

Yes, if you have the correct test equipment, and is also requires a competent and trained person to carry out the testing

13. Is testing a requirement of my insurance company?

Increasingly, insurers are insisting that a Periodic Inspection is carried out to ensure, the safety of an installation, and assist with risk assessment for insurance premiums

14. My business operates 24hrs a day, how can you carry out testing if I can’t stop production?

This is a common problem not only in the industrial sector but also commercial. The majority of testing does involve carrying out live tests. We can scheme testing to suit your needs, either around prearranged windows of opportunity, or during out of working hours, or weekends

15. I rent my business premises: is testing my landlords responsibility or mine?

You are responsible to ensure an installation is safe to use by you and your staff. The terms of your lease will determine responsibility

16. I have been told that I only need to have a percentage of the system tested in order to comply?

As per NICEIC & IEE Regulations, you can only carry out sample testing if you hold previous full system records, the installation is in excellent condition, no faults identified during sample testing and no changes have been carried out since last tested. In normal circumstances a full test should be undertaken.