EICR Testing

All electrical installations will deteriorate over time, therefore it is important to ensure checks are carried out on the condition of electrical installations at regular intervals, this will help identify any faults or defects which could hinder the continued operation of the installation, in a safe and effective manner.

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) identifies any damage, deterioration, and/or defects which may lead to potential danger. An EICR will provide a full summary of the condition of the electrics and determine whether it complies with the current British Standard for electrical safety (BS 7671). It will record any observations and make recommendations where improvement may be required or beneficial to improve safety.

WHAT DOES AN EICR CONSIST OF?

Visual Inspection

The electrician will survey the electrical installation before they commence electrical testing. The visual inspection will highlight broken or cracked devices, where devices may have been installed in the wrong location, or if there has been overloading or over heating problems. Electrical testing with the use of electrical test meters, includes:

Dead Testing

1. 1. Continuity testing: a test to check if there are any badly connected conductors.
2. 2. Insulation resistance testing: this test ensures the electrical insulation material surrounding the conductors is intact.
3. 3. Polarity: this test is to check that the connection is connected in the right sequence.

Live Testing

1. 1. Earth fault loop impedance testing: this test is to check that if a fault did occur the system meets requirements to cause a disconnection of the supply within the time limit specified.
2. 2. RCD testing: on modern electrical systems RCDs and RCBOs are regularly fitted; these devices react to electricity missing from the circuit or installation, such as when a person is receiving an electric shock as the electricity passes through the body to the ground (earth).
3. 3. During an EICR the inspector may make several electrical observations and will give each one a recommendation code C1, C2 or C3. The observations describe a defect or omission within the electrical installation:

• C1 = Danger Present, Immediate Remedial Action Required - there is a risk of injury and immediate remedial action is required to rectify the dangerous condition.
• C2 = Potential Danger, Urgent Remedial Action Required - this should describe the nature of the problem, not the remedial actions required.
• C3 = Improvement Recommended - this code usually implies that while the installation may not comply with the current set of regulations, it complies with a previous set of regulations so is deemed to be safe, although could be improved upon.

EICR checks must be carried out by a qualified and competent person. DPJ’s electricians and vetted subcontractors are qualified to inspect and test your fixed wire installation according to British Standards. Following completion of the inspection we will provide you with a full detailed report and the appropriate certification. To find out more, get in touch with our Helpdesk.