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Electricity, although a great convenience, can be dangerous and pose a serious safety hazard, especially if it is not treated correctly. It carries the potential for serious accidents and even fatal injuries for all those who come into contact with it. This includes not only electricians and engineers but also anyone who uses electrical devices, for example, homeowners, office workers, factory staff, etc.
To minimise the dangers of electricity, a number of regulations have been put in place. The UK is very strict when it comes to government regulations for electrical safety, as it should be, in order to ensure that everything is done according to the electrical safety standards.
A great way to judge how safe an electrical system and the installations are is with electrical safety certificates. Electrical certificates are signed off by qualified electricians and are a legal requirement for most electrical work carried out in residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
One such electrical safety certificate is the Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC), which we will discuss all about in this article:
Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC), also called a minor works certificate, applies to all minor works and provides proof that they were carried out according to the latest safety standards and Wiring Regulations BS 7671.
It is one of the main types of electrical safety certificates and can only be carried out by a certified and registered electrician. It plays an integral role in ensuring the safety of everyone on the premises and serves as evidence of compliance with industry standards.
In situations where a MEIWC is a legal requirement, the electrician working on issuing it must give an original copy of the certificate to the property or business owner who requested for the work to be inspected.
A MEIWC is simply an official document that certifies that the minor electrical installation works have been carried out in accordance with the relevant safety standards and regulations. It includes important information related to the installations, such as the:
When it comes to the type of work that is covered by the Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC), there are quite a few things that fall under its scope. There are also several electrical installations that do not require a MEIWC.
For example, replacing a light fitting is not covered in a MEIWC, whereas if the light fitting was moved from its original place or the wiring changed as a result, the work would need to be notified and certified by a qualified electrician.
It is very important to keep in mind that the scope of MEIWCs depends on the level of complexity of the job and the involvement of electrical wiring and systems to get it done.
If the work is more complex and exceeds the defined scope of minor electrical installation work, it may require additional certifications such as an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), or a Part P Notification, all of which we will discuss later on in the article.
Following are a few common examples of the type of work that falls within the scope of a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate (MEIWC):
Minor electrical installation works certificates are a legal obligation to ensure the safety of all minor electrical installation works in a residential, commercial, or industrial property. As a property owner or landlord, it is your responsibility to ensure safety on the premises, and getting a MEIWC is one way of doing so.
Here are all the reasons that minor electrical installation works certificates are so important:
MEIWCs are a type of electrical safety certificate geared specifically towards minor electrical installation works and their safety. By conducting an inspection and having a qualified electrician issue the certificate for the electrical work, you can ensure that the work has been carried out safely and the proper procedures and safety protocols have been followed. This is incredibly important as it protects everyone on the premises from electrical hazards such as shocks, fires, and other injuries and damages.
Electrical safety certificates are a legal requirement that ensure compliance with the electrical safety regulations and standards, and therefore, must never be ignored or overlooked. These regulations are enforced for a reason and that reason is safety and efficiency. In order to be compliant with the law and to be a responsible property owner, you must make sure you get the relevant safety certificates for the type of electrical work being carried out on your property.
MEIWCs are formal documents that can be used as a record for the minor installation work on your property. They include details of the work, the inspection results, and basically any piece of relevant information. These certificates can be used as proof of legal compliance and also work as a reference point for future inspections. They also play an important part in accountability as well as quality control.
By obtaining an electrical safety certificate, you, as the property owner or landlord, can show responsibility and demonstrate that you have fulfilled your obligations and taken the required steps to ensure the safety of your electrical installations. In case of an electricity-related accident or injury, you can provide documented proof of the required safety standards being implemented and protect yourself from any liabilities that may arise as a result, such as legal complications and financial risks.
Since electrical safety certificates such as MEIWCs demonstrate compliance with the safety regulations and serve as documented proof that you have taken the required steps to mitigate risk to the best of your abilities, they are usually a requirement for many insurance companies. In the event of an electricity-related incident, your insurance company may deny your claim if you are unable to provide proof of electrical compliance. On the other hand, some may offer discounts on premiums if you have the relevant certifications as proof.
As discussed above, Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificates (MEIWCs) aren’t the only type of safety certificate in the UK. They are issued specifically for minor electrical installation works, and for works that do not fall under their scope, there are other certificates that need to be issued in order to show compliance. They include:
As of 1st January 2005, the Part P Electrical Regulations became a legal requirement in the UK for all work related to fixed dwellings and buildings to comply with the safety standards for electrical safety – BS 7671:2018.
These standards cover all aspects of the design, installation, inspection, testing, and certification of electrical installations in homes and associated properties.
Part P applies to fixed electrical installations in buildings as well as portions of buildings that include dwelling houses, flats, maisonettes, properties with a shared communal area such as corridors and stairs, and properties with a common supply, for example, shops and public houses with a flat above.
Part P covers all types of work that are considered notifiable, which mean that a relevant authority must be notified when it is carried out. It can include a wide variety of tasks such as the installation of a new circuit, fuse box or consumer unit replacement, or any alterations or additions made to existing circuits.
An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), also called a “landlord’s electrical safety certificate” or a “periodic inspection report”, is a formal document made by a certified electrician after conducting a thorough inspection of the electrical systems and installations in a domestic, commercial, or industrial property.
Its main purpose is to assess the condition of an electrical installation and determine whether the system is safe to use and complies with industry standards.
A qualified electrician is given the responsibility to check all the electrical installations and make sure they are free of any faults, damages, defects, and deterioration. In the event of any damages or faults being identified, the electrician also provides recommendations to make the installations safe. All of these findings are included in the report to make it as comprehensive as possible.
Depending on the level of risk and the urgency of the action required, the electrician will indicate a code for the issue, with Code 1 being the highest priority and Code 3 being the lowest.
An Electrical Installation Certificate is issued after inspecting a new installation and determining whether or not it complies with Part P Regulations. It is different than an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) as the former covers only specific work and not the entire property.
An EIC is mostly issued by a qualified electrician who carried out the installation work, although it is also possible to do the installation yourself and have a certified electrician inspect it and issue a certificate after being satisfied with the level of safety.
There are several electricians in the country all claiming to be skilled and qualified, but not all of them can issue a minor electrical installation works certificate, or any electrical safety certificate for that matter.
It is very important that when you have your electrical installations and systems inspected and certified, you do so only through a competent registered electrician.
The UK government introduced a Competent Persons Scheme (CPS) made up of individuals as well as businesses that have proven their skills and abilities to work in a safe and compliant manner. Those registered with the scheme are able to self-certify that their work complies with the Building Regulations. They can also notify the local authority on your behalf if need be.
We have been providing electrical services to residential, commercial, and industrial properties for over 40 years and are specialists in all aspects of electrical installations, maintenance, and testing.
All our work is fully insured and we work to meet the standards set by the NICEIC to make sure all your electrical installations meet the current regulations and all the notifiable work is signed off by the local authorities.
If you have unplanned issues within your home or business, we can provide a call-out service to rectify and solve any problems such as circuits tripping, loss of power, broken items that need repairing, or to check 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) 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.
Contact us here or call us at 0800 612 3001 to get in touch with our professional electricians for more information on Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificates (MEIWCs).
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