• Home »
• Testing and Inspection

Technical Electrical Services offers a testing and inspection service for all domestic and commercial installations.

Most insurance companies require dwelling and commercial premises to be tested every 10 years for houses and five years on commercial premises.

What does it involve and why does testing need to be carried on a regular basis?

Fixed installation testing or ‘periodic inspection and testing’, as it is often referred to, is a report on the electrical wiring of a property, outlining any defects it may have that may prove to be a safety hazard. Owners of buildings have a duty of care to users. The wiring of buildings is an area that is often taken for granted, yet it can be a major cause of fire or injury through electric shocks.

Legal responsibilities

The legal requirements are enshrined in the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 which states that:

• All systems shall, at all times, be of such construction as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger
• All systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, such danger
• Every work activity...shall be carried out in such a manner as not to give rise, so far as is reasonably practicable, to 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

Why carry out fixed installation testing?

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.

Periodic inspection and testing is necessary because all electrical installations deteriorate due to a number of factors such as damage, wear, tear, corrosion, excessive electrical loading, ageing and environmental influences.

The requirements for fixed installation testing are contained within the Institution of Electrical Engineers 17th Edition, Wiring Regulations (BS7671). Depending upon the type of establishment, the frequency of inspection and testing will vary. However, all electrical installations require testing to meet the requirements of the IEE wiring regulations.

Benefits of the service

Technical Electrical Services electricians will carry out all electrical testing work to the highest standard whilst providing the most competitive prices to our clients. We treat each customer as an individual, therefore, tailoring each testing program to their needs.

When testing is being carried out there is a requirement for parts of the installation to be isolated for periods of time, therefore we offer out of hours testing and will work with the customer to perform necessary tasks during shutdown periods.

Reporting to you

We will provide a comprehensive report on completion of testing. If there are any faults reported, these are categorised with a rating of 1 - 4, depending on the severity of the fault found. 1 being a fault found that is in need of urgent attention and 4 being an observation that does not comply with current regulations for a fixed installation and requires some remedial action.

As well as offering fixed-installation testing services, we also offer an efficient, competitive, initial verification and inspection service which is an independent report that confirms any new electrical installation work complies with current British standards.