Fieldway Group - Periodic Inspection Testing

What is a periodic inspection?

A Periodic Electrical Inspection is an inspection on the condition of an existing electrical installation, to identify (in order of priority) any deficiencies against the national safety standard for electrical installations. Why is a periodic inspection needed?

Every electrical installation deteriorates with use and age. It is important for the person responsible for the maintenance of the installation to be sure that the safety of users is not put at risk, and that the installation continues to be in a safe and serviceable condition.

When is a periodic inspection needed?

Fieldway Group recommend that periodic inspection and testing is carried out at least every:

• Commercial properties 5 years. This can be 100% every 5 years or broken down to 20% every year. Using this method ensures that the installation is checked once a year for faults.
  
• Domestic properties 10 years.

What happens during a periodic inspection?

Fieldway Group will check the electrical installation against the requirements of BS 7671 - Requirements for Electrical Installations (IEE Wiring Regulations ) - as amended, which is the national safety standard for electrical installations.

The periodic inspection will take into account all relevant circumstances including the following factors:

a) adequacy of earthing and bonding

b) suitability of the switchgear and controlgear

c) serviceability of equipment

d) type of wiring system and its condition

e) provision of residual current devices for socket-outlets that may be used to plug in electrical equipment used outdoors

f) presence of adequate identification and notices

g) extent of any wear and tear, damage or other deterioration

h) changes in use of the premises which have to led to, or might lead to, deficiencies in the installation.

We provide a periodic inspection report (PIR) as part of the periodic inspection.

What is a periodic inspection report?

A period inspection report (PIR) is a formal method of recording the findings of the periodic inspection.

The main purpose of a PIR is to report on the safety condition of an existing installation. It should describe the overall condition as either 'satisfactory', in which case no immediate remedial work is required, or 'unsatisfactory' which means remedial work is required to make the installation safe to use.

Where a PIR describes the installation as 'unsatisfactory', the next thing to look at is 'Observations and Recommendations for Actions to be Taken'. This is where any departures from BS 7671 are recorded, and a code to indicate the urgency of the action needed is given.  These codes are ranged from 1- 4 with 1 being the most serious.

This report from Fieldway can be provided in paper or PDF format.