What is an EICR? Everything you need to know…
Got questions about EICR testing and what your responsibilities are? We've got your back...
Got questions about EICR testing and what your responsibilities are? We've got your back...
2,200 fires a year are caused by faulty electrical installations.
These are scary figures for many of us.
But that figure isn’t bad luck or random chance – it’s (often) the result of poorly maintained electrical systems and circuits.
Whether you’re a business owner, a landlord or a facilities manager – it’s a legal requirement to make sure your electrical installations are safely maintained.
Luckily for you, Fixed Wire Testing, or an EICR Inspection, is one of the best ways to do this.
Let’s uncover what an EICR Inspection is and how it can help your business…
EICR stands for ‘Electrical Installation Condition Report’, and it was previously known as ‘Fixed Wire Testing’. It is essentially a routine inspection of the hardwired electrical installations within your building to ensure they are safe to use.
EICR Inspections are recommended for both commercial and residential properties – including businesses, industrial buildings, buy-to-let or rented properties, and domestic properties.
Whichever your property type, an EICR Inspection will help you confirm that your building complies with regulated safety standards by identifying:
The term ‘Electrical installations’ refers to all of the fixed electrical equipment within your property that is supplied through the electricity meter. As opposed to portable electrical items, such as your kettle, refrigerator or PC monitor.
Examples of electrical installations include:
Hang on – this all sounds familiar, but you thought they were called something different?
Yeah, we get that a lot.
EICR Inspections are often known by numerous names. Including:
However, despite this, EICR is the most up-to-date and official name for them.
Whilst these inspections might not seem like the most exciting of topics, there are numerous benefits to ensuring you keep on top of them:
Firstly, they ensure you are compliant with numerous regulations. Including: The Health & Safety at Work Act (1974), The Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) and The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations (2020).
You’ll also find that insurance companies frequently request that your electrical systems are tested regularly. Should the time come that you need to make an insurance claim, you may be asked to prove that you took the necessary steps to ensure your systems were safe.
EICR Inspections don’t only confirm the safety of your electrical systems – but they also highlight any energy inefficiencies within your electrical installations.
In order to make sure your electrical installations are up to scratch, you’ll need the assistance of a qualified NICEIC-accredited electrician or engineer.
Luckily for you, we’ve got a team full of those here at Focus On Testing.
When you book an appointment, we’re probably going to ask you how many electrical circuits you have in your building. This helps us establish how big the project is, how long the test will take and how much the cost will be.
If you’re not sure how many electrical circuits you have in your building, you can:
The length of an EICR Inspection will vary depending on the size of the property. However, on average, they take between one and four hours to complete. However, for some large-scale projects, we have known EICR inspections to take several weeks.
Factors that affect the length of time an assessment takes include: the size of the property, the number of electrical installations being tested and how accessible the systems are.
After an EICR Inspection takes place at your property, you will receive a copy of the EICR report. This report will let you know whether the results are ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’.
There are four potential results that you could receive…
C1 – Danger is present, and there is a risk of injury (unsatisfactory)
This indicates that there are immediate risks of electric shocks or fires if the system is not made safe urgently. Examples of C1 codes could be the exposure of electrical parts or broken switches or plug sockets – which pose a serious risk.
C2 – Potentially dangerous and urgent remedial action is required (unsatisfactory)
A C2 code means that the system is potentially dangerous, and whilst it does not present an immediate risk – it could easily become dangerous in the future. Examples of this could be the absence of mains-protected bonding or earthing. Remedial action is recommended as soon as you are able to.
C3 – Improvement recommended (satisfactory)
This indicates that the installation is not in line with wiring regulations; however, there is no typical danger present. This code suggests that you could make improvements to your system – however, they are purely recommendations, and you don’t have to.
FI – Further investigation is required without delay
This means that we have found an issue, but more time is needed to investigate the severity of it.
How often you’ll need to conduct an EICR Inspection will vary depending on the type of property you have. The guidelines are as follows:
However, bear in mind that these are just guidelines. A qualified electrician may recommend a more frequent inspection in a number of circumstances.
For example: if your electrical installation is particularly old, in poor condition, has been misused, or has been tampered with.
To conclude, EICR is the process of periodically inspecting your electrical installations to ensure they are safe. Luckily for you, here at Focus On Testing, we have years’ worth of expertise in carrying out efficient and reliable EICR Inspections.
Don’t compromise on safety. Let us take care of the boring stuff, so you can get back to doing what you do best!
Ring us on 0330 088 4597 or drop us a message here.
PS. Want to find out more about the personalities that make up our team here at Focus On Testing? Get to know the crew here!