Periodic inspections

Periodic Inspections

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 satisfactory condition for continued use. Such safety checks are commonly referred to as 'periodic inspection and testing

Whats involved?

A full visual inspection of all electrical outlets in the property , followed by a full testing of the individual electrical circuits with specialised electrical testing meters ,written report and test record sheets along with the periodic report itself. A standard test does not include any rectification works and only covers testing , reporting and advising of any rectification works needed . A costing for any rectification works can be supplied with reports upon request .

Generally the testing focuses on wiring and associated features such as earthing and distribution boards. This testing is not aimed at appliances, which take their supply via the electrical installation. Appliances generally come with their own specific manufacturer's’ instructions which should be adhered to.

Legislation

. The requirement for periodic inspection testing and reporting(every 5 years depending..) is set out in Regulation 89 of the 2007 Safety Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations (S.I. No 299 of 2007) as amended by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application)(Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 732 of 2007) )

“ an employer shall ensure that—

………………………………………

(b) an existing electrical installation is tested by a competent person in an appropriate manner–

(i) from time to time where required having regard to the nature, location and use of the installation,”

“(d) all defects found during the testing and inspection of an electrical installation are rectified promptly so as to prevent danger.

………………………….

and a report of the test is completed by the competent person carrying out the test,”

Landlords and letting agents are also required to carry out periodic reporting on rental properties.

In general a full Periodic Inspection Report for an electrical installation should take place every 5 years .

A regular visual inspection should be carried out in all electrical installations(every year). A visual inspection should reveal any areas which are obviously in need of attention. A visual inspection should look for: breakages wear & deterioration signs of overheating, missing parts (covers, screws) and loose fixings and confirm switchgear accessibility (no obstructions) and doors of enclosures are secure It should also check the operation of equipment – switch on & off where equipment is not in regular use or where it is left off or on standby for long periods and residual current devices using test button.(It is recommended that, independent of any other inspection and test regime, residual current devices undergo a push-button test at least twice per year to ensure that they operate correctly when needed).

The following non-exhaustive list indicates the types of inspection and tests that are necessary to complete the periodic inspection and testing of an installation.

General appraisal of the installation by a competent person to assess the physical condition of the installation and its suitability for its environment.
Continuity of the protective conductors and of the main supplementary equipotential bonding.
Continuity of conductors in ring final circuits.
Resistance of protective conductor.
Insulation resistance of the electrical installation.
Polarity.
Fault Loop Impedance test.
Verification of Operation of RCDs including the tripping times of all RCDs.

We provide a base price for periodic inspections with a set costing for additional circuits above the base line .Please feel free to contact us for a quotation today .

We also provide Reconnection certs for the ESB , for dwellings that have been disconnected from the grid for 6 months or more