When is an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) needed??
It is recommended by the IET that fixed electrical installations should be inspected & tested at least once every five years, dependent on the type of installation and business practice, by a qualified person. If any faults are detected these should be remedied as soon as possible. You need a current Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) in order to meet your health and safety requirements and comply with:
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006
When to consider an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)?
Change of ownership
Change of tenancy
Change of use of premises
To verify continued compliance with BS 7671
To comply with insurance companies
What is an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)?
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) 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 an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) required?
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.
What is done during an Electrical Installation Condition Report?
For many years inspection and testing carried out on an existing electrical installation was known as a Periodic Inspection Report. From the end of 2011 that was changed, as was the format of the report to become the Electrical Installation Condition Report.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report is an in-depth inspection and test of an existing electrical installation and is reported on a form that complies with the current wiring regulations, BS7671:2018 All of the accessible electrical accessories (socket outlets, switches, etc.) are visually inspected, with 10% of them being inspected internally. This means that the accessories are opened up to expose the wiring and terminals to establish if there is anything to suggest poor installation or quality of materials.
The Installation
The installation is also inspected for the presence of bonding conductors, the correct type and location of switch-gear and that the installation is being used correctly.
Detailed Test
A detailed test follows, where a range of tests are carried out on each circuit to determine that the safety measures that have been put in place will operate correctly in fault conditions. This includes determining that the earth fault path is effective enough to result in automatic disconnection of the supply in the event of a fault, that the wiring is in good condition and that the residual current device (RCD) operates quickly enough to avoid any danger to the users of the installation.
As well as checking the condition of the installation, an EICR produces information that would be invaluable to anyone wishing to carry out any work on the installation at a later date.
