What Does Commercial Electrical Testing Involve?

Fixed wire testing involves the inspection and testing of all the electrical installations in a building. These tests ensure you are safe and compliant with commercial regulations and helps to keep everyone safe. In this guide, we’re looking at what electrical testing involves.

Testing involves a mixture of visual inspections and electrical tests on all systems in the building. It covers all of the electrical wiring in a building and includes main panels, distribution boards, lighting, plug sockets, air conditioning and other fixed plants.

It doesn’t include appliances that are plugged in, only the integral infrastructure.

Fixed Wire Tests

Fixed wire tests are a legal requirement in England. Regular testing of a building’s wiring structure and maintenance is mandatory under The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and IET Wiring Regulations BS 7671:2018.

Each circuit’s cable and accessories are inspected for visual damage and wear and tear. This is followed by a series of tests to verify the wiring is safe, meets current safety regulations and the circuit is wired correctly.

Following the completion of the tests, you should be issued an EICR certificate. This confirms compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

The report will outline the findings of the electrical tests and any recommendations. You may have some areas that haven’t been tested. These will be outlined with reasons in the report. Often, this will be because the area is unreachable without deconstruction work.

Routine Electrical Tests

You can also get routine checks between formal fixed wire tests to ensure continued safe performance of electrical installations.

This involves:

• Detecting unbalanced loads, poor connections, deteriorated insulation or any other issues in electrical panels or components.
• Checking the operation of the equipment and switch gear to identify potential issues such as wear and tear.
• Checks for general deterioration and loose or missing parts.

Contact Remark Group today to find out more about Commercial Electrical Testing. Our electrical engineers are fully qualified and accredited. Remark Group’s engineers and project managers are 18th Edition qualified and NICEIC accredited to ensure that every inspection and test meets the requirements of the current IET Wiring Regulations.