The Importance of Electrical Safety Testing

Electrical safety testing is essential for business owners, landlords and those who hold the 'duty of care' in a premises they are responsible for. Today the vast majority of electrical installations and appliances are in compliance with British Safety Standards and therefore are safe for use at point of sale or when initially installed. However with regards to property, there are many still with very old electrical installations which could pose a significant risk of fire and/or electric shock. Regular electrical testing helps to highlight issues before they become a threat and also identifies areas where significant improvements to an electrical system should me made.

In England and Wales, all new electrical work within a domestic setting must comply to Part P of the Building Regulations. This is generally achieved by complying with British Standard BS7671 (wiring regulations), which also includes carrying out adequate inspection and testing of the completed electrical works. This is also referred to as 'fixed wire testing', as it's the electrical power and lighting circuits which are tested as opposed to the portable appliances connected to the electrical circuit via a power socket. Fixed wire testing needs to be carried out on a regular basis after the initial installation as faults can arise for a variety of reasons, from general wear and tear to environmental affects such as frost, wind and rain.

All electrical testing results in a report written by the testing electrician. This includes generic information of the electrical installation which has been tested, along with individual circuit data and test results. The report will also list all the items tested, whether electronically, visually or both and where necessary, a list of defects and areas not in compliance with British Standards; these will require further attention to remedy the fault or defect. This report is often referred to as a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR), however from 2011 these reports will be also be known as an Electrical Inspection Condition Report (EICR).

Almost all public buildings such as shops, cafés and bars, hospitals, schools and colleges require regular electrical safety testing to be carried out, this is a legal requirement. This means that some powering down of the circuit being tested is necessary as the electrical testing cannot be thoroughly conducted on live circuits. This can be disruptive in the workplace, however by liaising with the electrician conducting the testing and letting any affected members of staff know in advance, any disruption to workflow can easily be minimised.