INTRODUCTION
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a document that assesses the safety and condition of your electrical installations. This report is also sometimes called a Periodic Inspection Report (PIR).
Your electrical installation should be regularly inspected and tested by a qualified electrician to make sure it meets safety standards. The frequency of these inspections will depend on the type of property and its usage. For example, a domestic property used as a main residence may only need to be inspected every 10 years, while a commercial property used for business purposes may need to be inspected every 5 years.
The electrical installation condition report will detail any observed defects, non-compliances with current standards and any recommendations for remedial work. It is important to understand your EICR so that you can take action to ensure the safety of your electrical installation.
WHAT EXACTLY IS EICR?
Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is sometimes referred to as fixed wire testing or periodic inspection (PIR). The report is an official document that is generated after a thorough examination of the fixed or hardwired electrical system in a building or property.
WHY DO I NEED AN EICR?
The Electricity at Work Regulations of 1989 stipulate that if your building or property is utilised for commercial, industrial, service, or any other public or non-residential purpose, you must always maintain the safety of the electrical system and obtain the electrical installation condition report. This is applicable to all businesses, regardless of size, including sole proprietorships.
Although the law does not require you to have an electrical installation condition report. However having an electrical installation condition report is the only method to assure system security and satisfy your legal obligations. If an accident does occur due to your electrical system, an up-to-date electrical installation condition report (EICR) and/or maintenance records can serve as evidence that you completed your legal obligations and are not legally accountable for the event.
WHAT ARE THE LEGAL OBLIGATIONS CONCERNING ELECTRICAL TESTING?
According to the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974, “every employer shall safeguard, so far as is practically feasible, the health, safety, and welfare of his or her workers at work.”
Not only are all companies responsible for the health and safety of their employees, but they must also safeguard members of the general public who enter, use, or otherwise interact with their company and premises.
In addition to this law, the Electricity at Work Regulations of 1989 were issued under the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 and pertain exclusively to electrical systems in the workplace.
The Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989, Regulation 3 specifies who is required to comply with the regulations:
(1) Except as specifically specified differently in these Regulations, it is the responsibility of every–
(a) employer and self-employed individual to comply with the terms of these Regulations with respect to items under his control; and
(b) manager of a mine or quarry (within the meaning of section 180 of the Mines and Quarries Act 1954) to ensure that all requirements or prohibitions imposed by or under these Regulations are complied with insofar as they relate to the mine or quarry or part of a quarry of which he is the manager and matters under his control.
(2) While at work, it is the responsibility of every employee to:
(a) to cooperate with his employer to the extent required to ensure compliance with any responsibility imposed on his employer by these regulations; and
(b) to comply with the terms of these Rules with respect to issues within his control.
WHAT TESTING IS CARRIED OUT DURING ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONDITION REPORT?
Multiple visual inspections and electrical tests are performed on all hardwired components, including sockets, lights, switches, main panels, distribution boards, air conditioning, and other permanent electrical components.
First, our engineers will ensure that a comprehensive schematic of the whole electrical system is provided and then you receive an electrical installation condition report. If one does not already exist, they will examine the system to develop one.
Once information is available, visual inspections will be conducted to assess the state of the electrical system and identify any risks and hazards.
Next, our highly experienced experts will isolate each circuit and verify the performance and safety of the electrical system’s permanent components.
Your electrical installation condition report (EICR) should contain all of the testing outcomes and suggestions.
WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD AN ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CONDITION REPORT CONTAIN?
An electrical installation condition report should include:
- Your company information and inspection particulars
- Any restrictions imposed by the inspection – e.g. Were there inaccessible portions of the system?
- Specifics on the system type and components in use
- A listing of all tests conducted and their outcomes
- A overview of the system’s state with specific observations and recommendations for necessary actions
- Signature of the contractor who successfully completed the exams
You should carefully retain your electrical installation condition report (EICR) and any associated documentation. In the future, new contractors and insurers or trade organisations may request your report. Importantly, if an accident involving your electrical system occurs, your EICR may be utilised as proof to defend you and your organisation.
WHAT DO THE OBSERVATION CODES IN AN EICR MEAN?
If our engineers detect a risk or possible risk, they will put it in the electrical installation condition report (EICR) and assign it a severity-based code.
These are the codes:
C1 – ‘Danger present. Danger of harm. Urgent corrective action is necessary.’
C2 – “Potentially hazardous – immediate corrective action necessary”
C3 – ‘Improvement suggested.’
FI – “Immediate more inquiry necessary”
Codes C1, C2, and FI indicate that you are not or, in the case of FI, may not be meeting your legal obligations to maintain the safety of the fixed electrical system. This implies that they must be implemented promptly.
Despite the fact that C3 concerns are less severe, they pose a greater threat if left unresolved, hence it is strongly urged that they be resolved immediately.
HOW CAN I ENSURE THAT THE CONTRACTOR COMPLETING MY EICR IS NOT ADDING WORK TO INCREASE THE PRICE?
Always verify a contractor’s credentials and qualifications prior to hiring them.
To eliminate the possibility of clients being charged for needless work, you can hire any competent electrical contractor to carry out the tasks outlined in the electrical installation condition report (EICR); you are not required to utilise the same contractor who created the report.
In addition, you do not need to repeat all electrical installation condition report (EICR) testing once the steps have been made and the concerns have been resolved. As confirmation that the problems have been repaired, the contractor you select for the work should present you with either an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC) or a Minor Works Certificate (MW). It is essential that you retain these records and may supply them with the original electrical installation condition report (EICR) as evidence that you have met your legal obligations.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I HAVE AN EICR?
This relies on a variety of variables. We can provide you with customised frequency recommendations to protect the security of your particular system. We will consider the sort of fixed electrical system you have, as well as the amount and nature of its usage. In addition, we will consider the amount of testing and maintenance performed to date, the age of the system, and any other factors that may have an influence on the system.
If you know or believe that the fixed electrical system has been damaged or tampered with, you should contact us immediately to discuss the best course of action.
CONCLUSION
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is a document that assesses the safety and condition of your electrical installation. This report is also sometimes called a periodic inspection report (PIR). Your electrical installation should be regularly inspected and tested by a qualified electrician to make sure it meets safety standards. The frequency of these inspections will depend on the type of property and its usage.
