Don’t start the new year with a bang…
Lee Johnson, Managing Director of Advanced Electrical Services explains...
This January marks the 15-year anniversary of part P, which for those of you who don’t know is the part of the building regulations that apply to electrical installations in domestic properties.
For me it’s a memorable time: the introduction of part P meant that electrical works on homes needed to be registered with building control and, as such, all the works legally needed to be tested and certified accordingly, as part of this process.
Now the testing and inspection part was nothing new as the wiring regulations have stated for a long, long time that electrical works need to be tested prior to being put into service. What was new was that electrical contractors and electricians were legally required to do it.
This brings me to my point: I can remember reading articles in trade magazines 10 years ago from so-called electricians claiming to have been in the industry for tens of years yet never having tested their work, let alone certifying it. They even continued to say that no one had ever been hurt (as far as they knew!), so what was the point of testing and certification? Their claim was that it was a waste of time and just more needless paperwork to put on poor electricians, who have better things to do.
Claiming that testing and certifying electrical work is a waste of time is complete rubbish – and dangerous. The best electrical installation in the world, installed by the finest electrical engineer, using the very best products, might still not be safe.
An installation can only be safely put into service once it has been inspected and tested as per the requirements of the wiring regulations. It should then be certified to record the inspection and test results, which then need to be reviewed by a competent person.
Now the main point of certification for business owners and managers is to ensure that your electrical installations are safe for your employees to use. You have a responsibility under the Electricity at Work Regulations to do so and your insurance company is likely to request condition reports for your electrical installation – this is basically like an MOT for your fixed-wiring installation.
It is vital that any electrical work carried out on your behalf is electrically tested and certified. The information then needs to be stored and filed away (in previous editions of Wired we have included articles on this – see the News section of our website for the archive). This not only applies to work carried out by third-party contractors but also by your in-house electricians.
It surprises me how many of our customers’ electricians don’t test their own work because they feel they don’t need to. They absolutely do – and this doesn’t just include installation work, it also includes repairs such as replacing light fittings etc. You can’t prove that an electrical circuit is safe to use unless it has been tested and this applies to everybody.
Over the years, we’ve been to quite a few factories that haven’t been earthed, which can lead to a fire breaking out or a staff member receiving a nasty or even fatal electric shock. At one local site, the earth connection was corroded and had to be made good; a different contractor had carried out some work at this site the month before but hadn’t picked up on this potentially dangerous situation.
We also regularly come across circuits with an unsatisfactory earth loop impedance when we’re testing electrical equipment. This means that the circuit protection won’t operate quickly enough when needed and this can be one of the main causes of electrical fires. This is something that really should have been picked up by another contractor, prior to the circuit being put into service.
If you currently don’t have any electrical records it is important to start working on them as soon as you can. As always, we’re here to help in any way you need us to.
Our guide to building energy management systems
Building energy management systems (BEMS) are systems that allow you to monitor, control, and optimise the energy used within your building. The phrase building energy management system (BEMS) is often used interchangeably with the phrase building management system (BMS), but there are some differences. A BEMS is focused on energy-related systems such as lighting, heating, […]
Read more
How far does power travel and what impact does distance have on performance
It’s easy to take our electricity supply for granted. We flick a switch and instantly have light or power. We don’t even think about it unless there’s an issue or an outage. But when there is an issue or outage, the impact can be significant. For manufacturers, even the smallest change in power can make […]
Read more
Why visibility of the production process is so important
Operational excellence, efficiency and quality are top priorities for almost every manufacturer worldwide. These things lead to improved productivity, happier customers and reduced waste – all of which result in increased profits. Visibility of the production process is the key to achieving these things. And manufacturers now have access to technology that can provide real-time […]
Read more
Will security lighting help to protect my staff?
Looking after the safety and well-being of employees should be a priority for any business. And while it’s not possible to mitigate every risk, there are measures you can take to improve their safety and security. One measure that is often overlooked is the installation of security lighting. When daylight disappears, visibility is reduced, increasing […]
Read more
Top 5 considerations when comparing electrical quotes
Budget is always a factor when you’re considering any type of upgrade, revamp, or maintenance work within your factory. But when it comes to electrical work, you have to consider more than just money. Don’t rush into accepting the cheapest electrical quotes without knowing exactly what you’re getting. Electrical work is not an area where […]
Read more
What is the role of companies in reducing our carbon footprint?
We should all be taking responsibility for protecting our planet and a big part of that is reducing our carbon footprint. But while it falls to all of us to do our bit, there is additional pressure on manufacturers, especially those with high carbon emissions. As an absolute minimum, these companies should ensure compliance with […]
Read more