Testing of premises fixed electrical installation 

Over the many clients we have audited, one of the most common non-compliances is a failure to demonstrate that their electrical supply and distribution system is safe. To use a motoring analogy, owners are driving their businesses without an MOT certificate for their electrical installation. This can result in penalties, legal action, or invalidation of insurance policies in case of an electrical incident involving injury to people or property.

We have also found that many clients confuse testing of their electrical installation with Portable Appliance Testing (PAT).

The testing of the fixed installation which includes the distribution panel, ring mains wiring circuits, sockets, earthing etc. is conducted by a qualified electrician with appropriate accreditations.

PAT testing, which only applies to individual electrical appliances (E.g. monitors, laptops, kettles etc.) using a proprietary tester, can be conducted by a person who has completed a short course or watched the operator’s instructions video.

In the UK, employers must comply with the legal requirements detailed in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and in the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. ‘’All systems shall at all times be of such construction as to prevent, as far as is reasonably practicable, danger. All systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, such danger. Any equipment provided under these Regulations for the purpose of protecting persons at work on or near electrical equipment shall be suitable for the use which it is provided. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) recommends that to comply with the regulations, an inspection and testing programme should be undertaken at all places of work.’’  The requirements for fixed installation testing are contained within the Institution of Electrical Engineers BS7671 (Amendment 2) Wiring Regulations 18^th Edition 2022.

Although there are no set timescales set in law, (they are only suggested in the IET Guidance Note 3) a typical commercial premises would be tested and certified at least every 5 years and an industrial premises every 3 years. The organisation’s  insurance company may also have their own requirements, such as requesting a shorter testing interval which must be satisfied to comply with their contract of insurance. This should not raise an issue as BS7671 stipulates the minimum requirement (not best practice).

All companies have a duty to ensure electrical safety on their premises. An EICR provides a thorough inspection of the fixed wiring and systems within a property to confirm their safety. The resulting report will highlight any defects or non-compliances with regulations that need addressing. A Fire Risk Assessment, which is another statutory requirement, should record the details of the most recent EICR.

If an EICR shows serious failures that need addressing then other legislation will come in to force such as PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations) and MHSWR (Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations). 

A competent, qualified electrical contractor should be engaged to apply any remediations as soon as possible. The longer the delay in addressing repairs, the more probability that an incident occurs where the electrical fault causes damage to a person or the building. In either case the company insurance policy may be invalidated and any potential claims dismissed.

Once the repairs have been actioned, the electrical contractor should provide an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), or Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC). These documents, when combined with the original EICR, should provide evidence that the installation is satisfactory.

Companies should retain copies of their EICRs (and EICs or MEIWCs) to demonstrate compliance during audits or inspections by local authorities or regulatory bodies. The documents may be required in case of accidents or insurance claims.