Compliance
Emergency Lighting
Fixed Wire Testing (EICR)
Fixed Wire Testing (EICR)
Fixed Wire Testing (EICR)
Fixed Wire Testing (EICR)
Fixed Wire Testing (EICR)
Remedial Works
Fixed Wire Testing (EICR)
Portable Appliance Testing
Portable Appliance Testing
Portable Appliance Testing
Portable Appliance Testing
Thermographic Surveys
Portable Appliance Testing
Thermographic Surveys
Load Analysis
Portable Appliance Testing
Thermographic Surveys
Emergency Lighting
Overview
Emergency lighting such as emergency escape lighting, standby lighting, fire safety signs and luminaires are provided for use when the supply to the normal lighting fails, and are an essential requirement in the workplace.
It is a duty holder’s legal responsibility to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work. Our periodic inspection and testing of emergency lighting installations will verify (as far as is reasonably practicable) that the emergency installations are in a safe condition and will support you in becoming compliant with current legislation. This includes the fundamental requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, The Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992, The Health and Safety Regulations 1996 and the Building Regulations 2000, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and BS 5266-1:2016.
Before the inspection, diagrams, charts, escape route plans (showing fire alarm call points, firefighting equipment, signs, high risk areas, structural features and open areas) and previous periodic or routine inspection reports should be made available to the Inspecting Engineer, as required by the above regulations.
A thorough inspection (where practicable) is then performed, examining:
- Safety
- Wear and tear
- Corrosion
- Damage
- Age
- External influences
- Suitability
To support compliance, inspections should be completed over various frequencies. The length of time between testing is determined by considering manufacturer’s guidance, the decision and recommendation factors governing deterioration, the zone of use and the results from any previous inspections undertaken. We recommend that daily, monthly and annual inspections and testing of emergency lighting are carried out.
- Daily
- Daily visual inspections should be made to establish that the system is in a ready state. This includes an inspection of the indicators of a central power supply system for correct operation and the indicators of combined luminaires.
- Monthly
- If automatic testing is incorporated, results of the tests must be recorded monthly.
- For manual systems, a functional test and various checks must be carried out to ensure that emergency lighting is present, clean and working competently in the event of failure to the normal lighting supply. For centrally supplied systems, the correct operation of system monitors and control relays are also checked and generator sets are tested to their manufacturer’s instructions.
- Annually
- Where automatic testing facilities are installed, a full rated duration test is carried out annually. Every emergency luminaire including illuminated signs are tested in accordance with the manufacturers information and several checks are made to ensure that there is adequate means of a test facility (key switch), and that emergency lighting is present, clean and functioning correctly.
- Centrally supplied battery systems are also inspected annually to ensure that the cells are balanced in output voltage and that connections are secure. Generator sets are tested to their manufacturer’s instructions.
Reporting
Following each test, results are recorded in the system log book along with any defects found. We will then issue a report based on the BS 5266 form, along with a remedial report, and any defects that are deemed to be ‘Dangerous’ will be notified to the duty holder or representative.
Fixed Wire Testing (EICR)
All electrical installations deteriorate with age and use. They should therefore be inspected and tested at regular intervals to check whether they are in a safe and satisfactory condition for continued use. Such safety checks are commonly referred to as ‘periodic inspection and testing’.
Duty holders have a legal responsibility to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees to matters within their control. This involves keeping electrical systems safe through correct design and installation and by using competent persons to carry out the work.
Periodic inspection and testing should be carried out only by electrically competent persons, such as registered electricians. The condition of the electrics is checked against the UK standard for the safety of electrical installations - BS 7671 IET Wiring Regulations, supporting statutory regulations such as the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
Our periodic inspection and testing of fixed electrical installations will support you in complying with these standards, including regulation 4 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, which requires that: ‘As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent such danger.’ Where danger may exist, all systems should be constructed and maintained in a safe condition, and records of maintenance should be kept.
A periodic inspection will:
- Reveal if any of your electrical circuits or equipment are overloaded
- Find any potential electric shock risks and fire hazards
- Identify any defective electrical work
- Highlight any lack of earthing or bonding
Our highly skilled engineers will conduct a thorough visual inspection supported by a 100% test or an agreed percentage test of the installation (where practicable) dependant on the option agreed and taking into account previous maintenance records and environment, examining:
- Safety
- Wear and tear
- Corrosion
- Damage
- Overloading
- Age
- External influences
- Suitability
The inspections are vital for the protection against electric shock, electric burns, fires from electrical origin and electrical arcing or explosions initiated or caused by electricity.
Inspection
We will thoroughly conduct a visual inspection of your fixed electrical installation, including an internal inspection of a sample of isolating devices, including:
- Joints and Connections
- Conductors (Including Protective Conductors)
- Flexible Cables and Cords
- Accessories and Switching Devices
- Basic Protection
- Fault Protection
- Protective Devices
- Enclosures and Mechanical Protection
- Marking and Labelling
Testing
Testing of fixed equipment installation includes:
- Continuity of Protective Conductors
- Insulation resistance testing
- Polarity Testing
- Earth loop impedance
- Functional tests
- Initial final circuit tracing and identification can be provided if required
- Final circuit labelling can be provided if required
Reporting
At the end of the inspection, you will receive an Electrical Installation Condition Report detailing any observed damage, deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions and any non-compliances with
the present-day safety standard that might give rise to danger. This is prioritised as follows:
- C1. Danger Present - The safety of those using the installation is at risk.
- C2. Potentially Dangerous - The safety of those using the installation may be at risk.
- C3. Improvement recommended.
If anything dangerous or potentially dangerous is found, the overall condition of the electrical installation will be declared to be ‘unsatisfactory’, meaning that remedial action is required without delay to remove the risks to those in the premises. Reported defects that receive a C1 classification will be notified to the duty holder, will need to be signed for by the client and must be resolved immediately.
Detailed inspection and testing however thorough, may not ensure the ongoing safety of an electrical installation, which might suffer degradation and damage on a daily basis. Inspection & testing consideration is therefore advised specific to the environment, nature of usage and location. With this in mind, we will then recommend a 3 year or 5-year maintenance regime as per Guidance Note 3. It is then down to the duty holder to agree the level of maintenance required.
Fixed Electrical Installation Inspection and Testing is suitable for:
- Manufacturing sites
- Hospitals
- Universities/Colleges
- Offices
- Industrial units
- Chemical plants
Remedial Works
LJI Building Services offer a full service when it comes to fixed electrical inspection and testing, providing remedial works for any defects or non-compliances identified.
At the end of your inspection, you will be issued with an Electrical Installation Condition Report detailing any observed damage, deterioration, defects, dangerous conditions and any non-compliances with the current safety standard (BS7671) that might give rise to danger.
These are prioritised as:
- Code 1: Danger Present - The safety of those using the installation is at risk
- Code 2: Potentially Dangerous - The safety of those using the installation may be at risk
- Code 3: Improvement recommended
- Code FI: Further investigation required without delay may reveal a C1 or C2 item after further investigation
Where a defect or non-compliance is discovered that attracts a Code C1, C2 or FI, the overall condition of the electrical installation will be declared to be ‘unsatisfactory’, meaning that remedial action is required without delay to remove the danger (danger being a risk or injury to persons or livestock) in those installations.
As part of our Standard and Premium testing packages, we will provide a remedial quotation on completion of the project and identify the corrective works required to achieve compliance with current legislation, including the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
If you would like to proceed with the quote, our experienced engineers will then attend site to carry out the remedial works. Like the initial inspection, this will be provided with minimal disruption to your business at a date and time to suit you. Once all corrective action has been successfully completed, you will then be issued with relevant certificates i.e. Minor Works, Installation certificate. This will then close out the outstanding Code C1, C2 and FI observations and remedial actions and provides a fantastic audit trail if required.
Did you know, we can also carry out remedial works for testing completed by another provider?
Please remember as a duty holder, you have a legal responsibility to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees to matters within their control and have a duty to keep electrical systems safe.
Regulation 4 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, requires that: ‘As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent such danger.’ Where danger may exist, all systems should be constructed and maintained in a safe condition, and records of maintenance should be kept.
Therefore, it is vital that any Code C1, C2 or FI observations are dealt with. If you chose not to correct the remedials, you will not be insured against any non-compliances and would not be able to provide evidence in the event of a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation.
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Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)
Portable appliances such as transportable appliances/equipment, hand-held appliances, stationary equipment, IT equipment and microwaves should be tested to ensure that the electrical equipment is in a safe and suitable condition for use and complies with current legislation.
This includes the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, the Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment, and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
Regulation 4 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 states that all systems should be constructed and maintained so far as reasonably practicable in order to prevent danger. To comply, portable appliances should be tested on a regular basis.
Visual Inspection
We will thoroughly conduct a formal visual inspection of your electrical equipment, taking into consideration:
- The environment the equipment is used in
- Good housekeeping of the equipment
- Disconnection of equipment
- The condition of the equipment
Combined Inspection and Test
Our combined inspection and test includes a preliminary inspection, earth continuity, an insulation resistance test and a functional check of the equipment.
Reporting
At the end of the inspection, you will receive a report detailing a register of all the equipment tested, along with a repair register and a faulty equipment register which will identify any defects that we have found.
A ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’ label will be fitted to each appliance incorporating the following details:
- Unique Identification Number
- Initials of test staff
- Test date
- Re-test date
Portable appliance testing is usually carried out annually, however our inspecting engineers will recommend the next re-test date, taking into consideration the environment the equipment is used in and how well it has been maintained.
Thermographic Imagine Survey
Thermographic surveys use a thermal imaging camera to identify unusually high temperatures within an electrical distribution system that may cause risk. They are a useful way of testing electrical installations without disrupting essential power supply.
The survey will verify (as far as is reasonably practicable) that installations show no signs of overheating or overload and can detect potential problems that a visual inspection alone will not identify.
The benefits of performing a thermographic survey are recognised within the industry and can support your periodic inspection and testing regime.
During this service, one of our competent inspectors will conduct a thorough visual inspection and thermographic survey of electrical installations (where practicable), examining:
- Safety
- Wear and tear
- Corrosion
- Damage
- Excessive loading (overloading)
- External influences
- Suitability
Visual Inspection of items subject to a thermographic survey
We can conduct a visual inspection of electrical installations, including but not limited to, an internal inspection of all accessible distribution, bus‐bar chambers and distribution boards to consist of the following, but only those subject to a thermographic survey:
- Joints and connections
- Conductors
- Flexible cables and cords
Reporting
At the end of the inspection, you will receive a report highlighting any defects that have been found.
When a temperature difference of 15oC between similar components is found, or when a temperature difference between a component and ambient air exceeds 40oC, then a Code 1 will be raised (Danger Present - The safety of those using the installation is at risk). This will be notified to the duty holder or representative immediately.
It is not recommended to substitute a routine maintenance programme with a thermographic survey.
It shows your overall site compliance and any areas that have been highlighted for remedial action, as well as notifications for renewals.
To discuss this service in more detail, please give us a call on 01233 884 224
Thermographic Surveys are suitable for:
- Manufacturing sites
- Hospitals
- Offices
- Industrial sites
- Chemical plants – under strict control measures
Load Analysis
A load analysis verifies whether electrical systems are safe and efficient, and that installations show no signs of overload. It may also highlight potential problems with energy usage, harmonic interference or unexpected spikes that a visual inspection alone may not identify.
Electrical equipment may degrade over time and you may notice:
- Your electrical bills are higher
- Equipment running hotter than usual
- Motors may make strange noises, indicating a pending problem
- Erratic and seemingly unrelated equipment failures throughout the building
The hardest problem to solve is when deteriorating equipment causes other equipment on the circuit to fail. If you notice intermittent problems and unusual electricity bills, then an electrical load analysis may help to identify and isolate the real source of the problem. We can determine the accurate amount of energy usage, if there is excess capacity in the existing system, when and how energy is being used and where costs can potentially be reduced.
As part of an electrical load analysis we will collect data on power quality, quantity used and often harmonic data to identify and locate electrical problems in your building’s distribution system. This is done when:
- Adding to an existing system
- Verifying the amount of electricity consumed
- As part of an investigation into:
- over-load conditions
- voltage drops
- load imbalance between the phases
- power factor
- load profiles
- harmonic distortion problems
Any of these issues can cause intermittent problems that can lead to strange equipment operations, unexpected failures and more.
As electrical specialists with over 20 years’ experience, we recommend real-time testing to help narrow down which piece of equipment is causing the problem. For example, testing could help to find a voltage drop issue that only occurs at specific times of the day. We will work with you to determine how and when to conduct a load analysis.
Monitoring is done on the main conductors as well as the neutral and we follow proven engineering procedures to ensure the testing is non-intrusive, accurate and safe.
For computer loads and data equipment racks, we monitor harmonic voltages and currents which can inject harmful distortions into other equipment on the circuits. The recording period needs to be long enough to capture a realistic amount of data that is a true representative of the electrical load. Again, like a car, the problem must occur before an accurate diagnosis can be made.
The duration depends on many factors including weather (air-conditioners are only used in the summer), production process and interaction between other equipment (i.e. heaters and ventilation motors).
Reporting
Our goal is to capture any potential problems in the electrical system as your equipment is in use. Once the data has been gathered and collated for a loading profile, we will generate a report that includes:
- Voltage and current
- kW, kVAR and power factor
- Harmonics (if required)
- Events
The report will identify any conductors that are operating at over 80% capacity for continuous usage as well as recommendations to improve reliability and compliance with all safety legislation