Table of Contents
Electrical safety is a crucial aspect in all commercial settings and must be given its due importance to ensure the premises are safe for all those working and visiting.
Every year there are multiple reports of electrical-related accidents in the workplace, with some serious electrical faults leading to fires.
Electrical installations don’t necessarily show signs of a problem until much later when the issue has spread far and wide, which is not the ideal situation to be in considering the amount of damage it can cause.
As a commercial business owner, it is your responsibility to arrange regular electrical inspections through certified professionals to guarantee all your installations are safe and up-to-date.
According to The Electricity of Work Act 1989, every business and commercial space must be inspected every 3-5 years to identify any potential or developing problems and fix them before they become an issue.
These periodic checks are a great way to maintain the health of your electrical system which, as is with everything else, deteriorates over time.
The wiring might become lose, there might be an overpowering or overloading issue, and sudden power surges that can not only damage electrical equipment but also be a major safety hazard.
Many things need to be considered when opting for an electrical installation maintenance check, such as which checklist you should use for the purpose.
Read on to find out what commercial electrical inspection checklists are, their key components, and why they are important.
During a commercial electrical inspection, you can expect to learn all about the electrical installations on your property and their overall health.
To make these inspections easier and more efficient, trained NICEIC approved electrical contractors use commercial electrical inspection checklists (CEIC) as a guide to determine whether the current installations comply with safety regulations or not.
A corresponding report known as the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is compiled after each area is thoroughly checked for any hazards or faulty installations, which informs the owners how electrically safe the property is and what can be done to remove any potential threats.
Commercial electrical inspection checklists are used to identify:
CEICs help contractors by providing them with instructions to follow during a maintenance check that can be applied to several electrical components.
The checklists must abide by the electrical safety laws laid out by the UK government and follow all the current legal standards.
The lists include different pointers related to each task with a brief explanation of what is required to be done to make it easier for the contractors to follow the SOPs.
For the contractor’s reference, each item on the checklist is also accompanied by a citation from the HSE wiring regulations.
There are different kinds of commercial electrical inspection checklists and knowing which one to use depends on the kind of commercial setting.
There are various checklists specifically made for offices, buildings, warehouses, factories, dockyards, hospitals, schools, and motors and vehicles, to name a few.
It is always best to consult with a qualified and NICEIC certified electrician to choose the best and most appropriate one for your commercial needs.
There are a few key components synonymous with all electrical inspection checklists, regardless of the type of property. They are:
A commercial electrical inspection checklist consists of the following components:
Let’s look at each one in detail:
A majority of commercial accidental injuries are caused due to faults in electric motors. They tend to overheat causing electric shocks and fires.
It is mandatory to keep motors in check ensuring they are working at the right capacity, which is why CEICs require electricians to verify that the motor overload, short-circuit, and ground-fault protection does not exceed the permitted values, in addition to checking them for proper ratings.
They must also ensure that the controller and motor disconnects are in sight and readily accessible in case the power needs to be cut instantly.
Most commercial properties have air-conditioning and refrigerating equipment on the premises which is why they are one of the main components of all commercial electrical inspection checklists.
Electricians must ensure that all circuits and conductors are protected and appropriately sized, with the controllers and related components having sufficient ratings.
The feeders and branch-circuits must be checked for short-circuit and ground-fault protection, and there must be adequate lighting for the inspection to be easily carried out.
Transformers are a major power supplying source, transmitting energy between multiple components that must be installed in accordance with the law.
During a commercial electrical inspection, it must be ensured that all the areas of installation are adequately spaced and well-ventilated to avoid overheating.
Verification of overcurrent protection is mandatory for primary and secondary conductors, and the transformers must be provided with a means of disconnection.
Indoor installations must be kept at a safe distance from combustibles, and outdoor transformers must be checked for weatherproof enclosures to protect them from extreme weather conditions such as direct sunlight and rain.
Capacitors are electrical devices used to store energy. Common capacitor faults include wire breakage, short-circuits, leakage, and disconnection.
Electricians are expected to check the capacitors for proper guards and enclosures, in addition to verifying whether they are properly sized according to their ratings.
Other than that, a common inspection procedure includes checking for overcurrent protection and discharge outlets. It is also crucial to check if high-voltage capacitors are grounded properly or not.
If you have any of the above-mentioned modes of transportation installed on your commercial premises, you must get them checked during an electrical inspection.
The inspection must verify the voltage limitations as well as the ampacity of feeder conductors and branch-circuits.
The wiring must be checked for faults and there must be a disconnection means for all the relevant components.
Electric Vehicles (EVs) are becoming more common, and with that, EV chargers can be seen in quite a few commercial settings.
During an electrical inspection, it must be made sure that all EV charger related equipment, devices, and fittings are installed correctly and the ratings are verified.
Since EV chargers are high-energy consuming devices, they must have an adequate disconnecting means.
The location and height of the charging equipment must be recorded and proper ventilation must be ensured in case of an indoor installation.
Commercial properties come with light signs placed outside, usually with the name of the business on a board.
All such installations must be checked to ensure that the wiring is up-to-date and that there are no risks attached to it.
Since these signs are usually placed outside, it is mandatory to make them weather-proof to withstand sunlight and rain. Otherwise, they can easily become susceptible to electric shocks.
Special occupancies include healthcare facilities, agricultural buildings, cinemas and theatres, carnivals and funfairs, recreational parks, boatyards and marinas, and swimming pools.
Hazardous locations include bulk storage plants, petrol stations, commercial garages, aircraft hangars, and industrial factories.
The checklists for special and hazardous commercial facilities have a few extra pointers added to the CEIC in addition to the above-mentioned key components.
It is advised to have the inspections carried out by a NICEIC certified electrical service provider to guarantee all areas are covered during the inspection, also ensuring the safety of the inspectors themselves, as well as others.
An electrical inspection consists of two parts; a visual assessment and a detailed one after which an EICR is generated.
A visual assessment gives a quick analysis of how electrically safe your property is. All issues are identified that are visible to the naked eye such as damaged and frayed cables, broken sockets and switches, burn marks, scorching, or smoke near the installations.
The EICR checks if the property being inspected has any faults that could not be identified through a visual assessment such as overheating, overloading, electric shocks, and just about any defective installation in the electrical system.
The detailed EICR is generated with the help of an electrical inspection checklist making sure all areas of the property are covered and that they all are following the law, stating the overall electric health of your property, and providing details of all the faults, damages, and defects.
If found with electrical faults and issues, the EICR categorizes your property in one of three classifications, C1, C2, and C3, depending on how satisfactory the inspection results are.
Code C1 means that the results are unsatisfactory and that immediate action is required.
Code C2 means that the property is potentially dangerous and remedial action must be taken to make the installations safe ASAP.
Code C3 means that improvements are recommended, but there is no need for urgency or worry.
If your property passes the electrical inspection, you will be provided with an EICR Certificate of Safety which states that all your electrical installations are safe and up-to-date.
It is a requirement under The Electricity of Work Act 1989 that as a business or commercial space you must make sure that the electrical installations on your property are deemed safe for use by your employees and the public.
This is done by carrying out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) at regular intervals, which can range from 3-5 years.
In addition to being compliant with the law, many other factors make it beneficial for your commercial property to have been electrically inspected and to receive an EICR Certificate of Safety.
Avoid frequent power outages and electrical surges that can cause long-term damage to expensive business equipment such as computers, which are a vital component in this day and age. The electrical faults can cause them to either malfunction or stop working completely. The resulting repairing costs could be huge and unanticipated, causing a setback in the business’s budget.
Also, faulty installations and damaged wiring could equate to a hefty electricity bill, despite you not consuming that much power. Regular electrical inspections check all the areas and units to see if any incorrect installations unnecessarily add to the electricity bill.
Downtime, as a result of power outages, can have a serious impact on employee productivity levels resulting in a negative impact on the business. The employees might be unable to complete their tasks on time and may be required to work overtime to cover for the time lost.
Also, since most of the important information these days is digital and stored in computers, sudden power surges or outages might cause them to shut down unexpectedly, resulting in vital data being lost or corrupted, which is at times very difficult to recover.
Safety is probably the biggest benefit you can get out of regular electrical inspections, all other being secondary advantages.
A thorough inspection carried out by a certified professional will guarantee that all your installations are always compliant with the law and that there are no safety risks associated with the electrical system.
In serious cases, faulty electric installations can cause sparks in the wiring resulting in fires. Fires are a common happening in both domestic and commercial settings, and according to statistics, electrical faults are one of the biggest reasons that they happen.
Electrical inspection and maintenance are a vital part of any installation and must be carried out by a reliable electrical contractor.
We, at Calder Electrical Services, are based in Wakefield and cover the whole of Yorkshire and beyond, offering a wide range of services to meet the demands of our clients, including all aspects of domestic, commercial and industrial installations, along with their testing and maintenance.
We have experienced and fully qualified electrical engineers on hand to deliver a professional and high-quality service. We are NICEIC registered following the current wiring regulations and all our work is fully insured.
If you have unplanned issues within your home and business, we can provide a call out service to rectify and solve any problems ranging from circuits tripping, loss of power, broken items that need repairing, to checking if you feel something is unsafe or a potential hazard.
Our team can generate a Visual Inspection Report (VIR) to identify anything visual that does not comply with the standards or looks unsafe, as well as a full Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), with the help of an electrical inspection checklist, where we will identify and test each circuit to make sure they are not deteriorating and are safe for use within the current standards and regulations set by the BS 7671.
We can also provide PAT testing of appliances to make sure that any items such as kettles, computers, and microwaves are safe for use in the home and workplace.
Get in touch with us for our professional installation and maintenance services to keep your home and business secure from the risks of faulty electrical installations.
Image by Raw2Jpeg from Pixabay
Electrical safety is a crucial aspect in all commercial settings and must be given its due importance to ensure the premises are safe for all those working and visiting.
Every year there are multiple reports of electrical-related accidents in the workplace, with some serious electrical faults leading to fires.
Electrical installations don’t necessarily show signs of a problem until much later when the issue has spread far and wide, which is not the ideal situation to be in considering the amount of damage it can cause.
As a commercial business owner, it is your responsibility to arrange regular electrical inspections through certified professionals to guarantee all your installations are safe and up-to-date.
According to The Electricity of Work Act 1989, every business and commercial space must be inspected every 3-5 years to identify any potential or developing problems and fix them before they become an issue.
These periodic checks are a great way to maintain the health of your electrical system which, as is with everything else, deteriorates over time.
The wiring might become lose, there might be an overpowering or overloading issue, and sudden power surges that can not only damage electrical equipment but also be a major safety hazard.
Many things need to be considered when opting for an electrical installation maintenance check, such as which checklist you should use for the purpose.
Read on to find out what commercial electrical inspection checklists are, their key components, and why they are important.
During a commercial electrical inspection, you can expect to learn all about the electrical installations on your property and their overall health.
To make these inspections easier and more efficient, trained NICEIC approved electrical contractors use commercial electrical inspection checklists (CEIC) as a guide to determine whether the current installations comply with safety regulations or not.
A corresponding report known as the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is compiled after each area is thoroughly checked for any hazards or faulty installations, which informs the owners how electrically safe the property is and what can be done to remove any potential threats.
Commercial electrical inspection checklists are used to identify:
CEICs help contractors by providing them with instructions to follow during a maintenance check that can be applied to several electrical components.
The checklists must abide by the electrical safety laws laid out by the UK government and follow all the current legal standards.
The lists include different pointers related to each task with a brief explanation of what is required to be done to make it easier for the contractors to follow the SOPs.
For the contractor’s reference, each item on the checklist is also accompanied by a citation from the HSE wiring regulations.
There are different kinds of commercial electrical inspection checklists and knowing which one to use depends on the kind of commercial setting.
There are various checklists specifically made for offices, buildings, warehouses, factories, dockyards, hospitals, schools, and motors and vehicles, to name a few.
It is always best to consult with a qualified and NICEIC certified electrician to choose the best and most appropriate one for your commercial needs.
There are a few key components synonymous with all electrical inspection checklists, regardless of the type of property. They are:
A commercial electrical inspection checklist consists of the following components:
Let’s look at each one in detail:
A majority of commercial accidental injuries are caused due to faults in electric motors. They tend to overheat causing electric shocks and fires.
It is mandatory to keep motors in check ensuring they are working at the right capacity, which is why CEICs require electricians to verify that the motor overload, short-circuit, and ground-fault protection does not exceed the permitted values, in addition to checking them for proper ratings.
They must also ensure that the controller and motor disconnects are in sight and readily accessible in case the power needs to be cut instantly.
Most commercial properties have air-conditioning and refrigerating equipment on the premises which is why they are one of the main components of all commercial electrical inspection checklists.
Electricians must ensure that all circuits and conductors are protected and appropriately sized, with the controllers and related components having sufficient ratings.
The feeders and branch-circuits must be checked for short-circuit and ground-fault protection, and there must be adequate lighting for the inspection to be easily carried out.
Transformers are a major power supplying source, transmitting energy between multiple components that must be installed in accordance with the law.
During a commercial electrical inspection, it must be ensured that all the areas of installation are adequately spaced and well-ventilated to avoid overheating.
Verification of overcurrent protection is mandatory for primary and secondary conductors, and the transformers must be provided with a means of disconnection.
Indoor installations must be kept at a safe distance from combustibles, and outdoor transformers must be checked for weatherproof enclosures to protect them from extreme weather conditions such as direct sunlight and rain.
Capacitors are electrical devices used to store energy. Common capacitor faults include wire breakage, short-circuits, leakage, and disconnection.
Electricians are expected to check the capacitors for proper guards and enclosures, in addition to verifying whether they are properly sized according to their ratings.
Other than that, a common inspection procedure includes checking for overcurrent protection and discharge outlets. It is also crucial to check if high-voltage capacitors are grounded properly or not.
If you have any of the above-mentioned modes of transportation installed on your commercial premises, you must get them checked during an electrical inspection.
The inspection must verify the voltage limitations as well as the ampacity of feeder conductors and branch-circuits.
The wiring must be checked for faults and there must be a disconnection means for all the relevant components.
Electric Vehicles (EVs) are becoming more common, and with that, EV chargers can be seen in quite a few commercial settings.
During an electrical inspection, it must be made sure that all EV charger related equipment, devices, and fittings are installed correctly and the ratings are verified.
Since EV chargers are high-energy consuming devices, they must have an adequate disconnecting means.
The location and height of the charging equipment must be recorded and proper ventilation must be ensured in case of an indoor installation.
Commercial properties come with light signs placed outside, usually with the name of the business on a board.
All such installations must be checked to ensure that the wiring is up-to-date and that there are no risks attached to it.
Since these signs are usually placed outside, it is mandatory to make them weather-proof to withstand sunlight and rain. Otherwise, they can easily become susceptible to electric shocks.
Special occupancies include healthcare facilities, agricultural buildings, cinemas and theatres, carnivals and funfairs, recreational parks, boatyards and marinas, and swimming pools.
Hazardous locations include bulk storage plants, petrol stations, commercial garages, aircraft hangars, and industrial factories.
The checklists for special and hazardous commercial facilities have a few extra pointers added to the CEIC in addition to the above-mentioned key components.
It is advised to have the inspections carried out by a NICEIC certified electrical service provider to guarantee all areas are covered during the inspection, also ensuring the safety of the inspectors themselves, as well as others.
An electrical inspection consists of two parts; a visual assessment and a detailed one after which an EICR is generated.
A visual assessment gives a quick analysis of how electrically safe your property is. All issues are identified that are visible to the naked eye such as damaged and frayed cables, broken sockets and switches, burn marks, scorching, or smoke near the installations.
The EICR checks if the property being inspected has any faults that could not be identified through a visual assessment such as overheating, overloading, electric shocks, and just about any defective installation in the electrical system.
The detailed EICR is generated with the help of an electrical inspection checklist making sure all areas of the property are covered and that they all are following the law, stating the overall electric health of your property, and providing details of all the faults, damages, and defects.
If found with electrical faults and issues, the EICR categorizes your property in one of three classifications, C1, C2, and C3, depending on how satisfactory the inspection results are.
Code C1 means that the results are unsatisfactory and that immediate action is required.
Code C2 means that the property is potentially dangerous and remedial action must be taken to make the installations safe ASAP.
Code C3 means that improvements are recommended, but there is no need for urgency or worry.
If your property passes the electrical inspection, you will be provided with an EICR Certificate of Safety which states that all your electrical installations are safe and up-to-date.
It is a requirement under The Electricity of Work Act 1989 that as a business or commercial space you must make sure that the electrical installations on your property are deemed safe for use by your employees and the public.
This is done by carrying out an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) at regular intervals, which can range from 3-5 years.
In addition to being compliant with the law, many other factors make it beneficial for your commercial property to have been electrically inspected and to receive an EICR Certificate of Safety.
Avoid frequent power outages and electrical surges that can cause long-term damage to expensive business equipment such as computers, which are a vital component in this day and age. The electrical faults can cause them to either malfunction or stop working completely. The resulting repairing costs could be huge and unanticipated, causing a setback in the business’s budget.
Also, faulty installations and damaged wiring could equate to a hefty electricity bill, despite you not consuming that much power. Regular electrical inspections check all the areas and units to see if any incorrect installations unnecessarily add to the electricity bill.
Downtime, as a result of power outages, can have a serious impact on employee productivity levels resulting in a negative impact on the business. The employees might be unable to complete their tasks on time and may be required to work overtime to cover for the time lost.
Also, since most of the important information these days is digital and stored in computers, sudden power surges or outages might cause them to shut down unexpectedly, resulting in vital data being lost or corrupted, which is at times very difficult to recover.
Safety is probably the biggest benefit you can get out of regular electrical inspections, all other being secondary advantages.
A thorough inspection carried out by a certified professional will guarantee that all your installations are always compliant with the law and that there are no safety risks associated with the electrical system.
In serious cases, faulty electric installations can cause sparks in the wiring resulting in fires. Fires are a common happening in both domestic and commercial settings, and according to statistics, electrical faults are one of the biggest reasons that they happen.
Electrical inspection and maintenance are a vital part of any installation and must be carried out by a reliable electrical contractor.
We, at Calder Electrical Services, are based in Wakefield and cover the whole of Yorkshire and beyond, offering a wide range of services to meet the demands of our clients, including all aspects of domestic, commercial and industrial installations, along with their testing and maintenance.
We have experienced and fully qualified electrical engineers on hand to deliver a professional and high-quality service. We are NICEIC registered following the current wiring regulations and all our work is fully insured.
If you have unplanned issues within your home and business, we can provide a call out service to rectify and solve any problems ranging from circuits tripping, loss of power, broken items that need repairing, to checking if you feel something is unsafe or a potential hazard.
Our team can generate a Visual Inspection Report (VIR) to identify anything visual that does not comply with the standards or looks unsafe, as well as a full Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), with the help of an electrical inspection checklist, where we will identify and test each circuit to make sure they are not deteriorating and are safe for use within the current standards and regulations set by the BS 7671.
We can also provide PAT testing of appliances to make sure that any items such as kettles, computers, and microwaves are safe for use in the home and workplace.
Get in touch with us for our professional installation and maintenance services to keep your home and business secure from the risks of faulty electrical installations.
