Fixed Wire Testing, Fixed Installation Testing or Periodic Inspection & Testing are all different names for the same thing. Regardless of the name, electrical testing forms an important part of any Health & Safety system.
This website is offered as a free guide to your legal obligations as well as the practicalities of fixed wire testing.
Over 10% of all workplace fatalities were caused by electricity related incidents and accidents. (www.hse.gov.uk)
The Electricity at Work Act (1989) is a set of regulations, introduced in order to prevent death or personal injury to any person from electrical causes in connection with work activities.
They state that all electrical systems and equipment used in the working environment should be installed and maintained in a way that prevents danger and specifies that testing and inspection are critical components of preventative maintenance. a
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) therefore recommend that in order to comply with these regulations an electrical inspection and testing programme should be undertaken at all places of work.
In addition to these legislative requirements, many other organisations such as insurance companies, place an obligation on their clients to carry out periodic electrical testing, and keep a record of evidence. Find out more about the legal requirements.
Electrical installation condition reporting (EICR) is a service offered by a number of specialised companies. It is recommended that only companies who are registered with an electrical governing body such as the NICEIC or the ECA are contracted, as these registrations offer an assurance of the quality of work that will be performed. Only suitably qualified electricians should carry out electrical testing.
The frequency at which fixed wire installation testing should be carried out is determined by the usage of a particular building.
See Testing Intervals for a guide, or contact us for more specific guidance.
Fixed wire testing can cause disruption to the users and processes within a building and for this reason is something that requires careful planning. A good contractor will usually arrange to survey an installation prior to the commencement of any testing as this will help to ensure that any workplace disruption will be kept to a minimum and a plan co-ordinating inspection with scheduled maintenance periods or machinery downtime can be arranged.
In practice, it is often advisable to arrange for electrical inspection and testing to take place outside of normal working hours.
At the end of any testing programme a detailed Electrical Installation Condition Report must be provided detailing extent and results of the inspection and testing and listing any recommendations for remedial actions that should be taken to ensure compliance with current standards. Reports should be kept for the lifetime of an installation. More about Inspection Reports.
Please follow the links on this page for further information on all aspects of Fixed Wire Installation testing including the legislation and regulations, qualifications required, the testing process, reporting and remedial actions.
Speak to an Intersafe fixed testing expert today.
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Professional electrical compliance specialists, providing Fixed Wire Testing and remedials, PAT Testing, Thermal Imaging, Emergency Light Testing and LED Lighting Installation services.
