Fixed Wire Testing

Fixed wire testing involves testing the electrical installations within a building to ensure they are safe. It covers all of the electrical wiring in a building and includes main panels, distribution boards, lighting, socket outlets and other fixed plant.

Employers are legally required to comply with a number of workplace safety regulations which are designed to protect the health and safety of employees and visitors to achieve an acceptable standard of safety. Electrical Inspection & Testing of fixed wiring is an essential responsibility of a site ‘Duty Holder’.

Electrical Inspection and Testing should be carried to the fixed wiring of a building periodically to ensure that electrical installations are designed, installed and maintained to the standards defined by the IEE Wiring Regulations (BS 7671). The table below provides guidance on the frequency of formal inspections of general electrical installations as well as routine checks.

Please note, this is not a complete list of building types. If you require advise on the testing frequency of your building, please feel free contact us.

• Domestic accommodation (general) – change of occupancy/10 years
  
• Domestic accommodation (rented houses and flats) – change of occupancy/5 years
• Residential accommodation (Houses of  Multiple Occupation) – change of occupancy/5 years
• Educational establishments – 5 years
• Industrial – 3 years
• Commercial – Change of occupancy/5 years
• Laboratories – 5 years
• Shops – 5 years
• Offices – 5 years

An electrical installation condition report (EICR) is produced when periodic electrical inspection & testing is carried out to a building. Periodic electrical inspection and testing should only be carried out by electricians who are approved by the NICEIC or ECA.

As approved NICEIC Electrical Contractors all our programmes of fixed wire testing are carried out in accordance with BS7671 and IEE inspection and testing Guidance Note 3. Every effort is made to deliver a solution looking after your corporate and legal best interests whilst helping to achieve the ultimate goal of compliance with the Electricity at work regulations 1989.

Our electricians will check the electrical installation against the requirements of BS7671 – Requirements for Electrical Installations ( IEE Wiring Regulations) – as amended, which is the national safety standard for electrical installations.

The EICR will take into account all relevant circumstances including the following factors:

• Adequacy of earthing and bonding
• Suitability of the switchgear and control gear e.g. consumer unit e.g. an old fuse box with a wooden back, cast iron switches, a haphazard mixture of such equipment is likely to need replacing
• Serviceability of equipment e.g. switches, socket-outlets and light fittings e.g. older round pin sockets, round light switches and braided flex hanging from ceiling roses to light fittings, black switches, sockets mounted in skirting boards may require replacing.
• Type of wiring system and its condition e.g. cables coated in black- rubber, black-rubber was phased out in the 1960s or cables coated in lead or fabric are even older and may need replacing (modern cables use pvc insulation)
• Provision of residual current devices for socket-outlets that may be used to plug in electrical equipment used outdoors
• Presence of adequate identification and notices
• Extent of any wear and tear, damage or other deterioration
• Changes in use of the premises which have led to, or might lead to, deficiencies in the installation.

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) will then be provided which you should retain.

Should the EICR test be classed as “unsatisfactory” the required remedial work should be done without delay. The EICR report will detail which electrical system(s) failed the test. Work required is classified using the following codes:

• C1 – ‘danger is present’, risk of injury is likely and immediate action is required.
• C2 – potentially dangerous and remedial action is needed urgently.
• C3 – improvement to your electrical system is recommended. C3 is the only classification code that can appear on a report and still pass the EICR test.
• FI – Further investigation required

We provide an itemised quotation of any required remedial work which accompanies our report. All remedial work will be undertaken by ourselves and once completed a “satisfactory” EICR Certificate will be provided. The satisfactory certificate will cover your electrical installation for a specified duration for your building type, as detailed in the table above.

As NICEIC approved electricians, we are assessed on a regular basis to ensure that we are competent and capable of meeting relevant technical and safety standards; ensuring that we provide quality electrical services to our customers. As a company we strive to maintain the highest industry standards.

Whether you hire us to help with a large construction project or a small domestic job, our highly efficient team are at hand to provide a service that you can rely on. Our reputation for reliability and personalised services has enabled us to emerge as one of the leading electrical contractors in the North East.

We are a locally based company meaning we can provide services to our North East customers at extremely competitive prices. As a company, one of our main goals is to provide our customers with quality and affordable electrical services.

We strive to provide each of our customers with the highest level of service at all times. We have a number of recurring clients which is testament to the consistently high standards that we deliver, and we are proud that our customers have rated us with 5 Stars across all media platforms.