PERIODIC INSPECTIONS
INTRODUCTION
We provide all our customers with periodic or annual electrical inspection and verification of their property to provide peace of mind and security. This also guarantees that your electrical installation is maintained to the highest standard and all your employees are working in the safest environment possible. In Irelands economy to date, growth and expansion have been huge over the last decade and this has been met with more stringent guidelines on Periodic Inspections. This has subsequently been reflected in the latest Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act S.I.299 released in November 2007, the full details of which can be seen in the regulations section.
Testing & inspection of installations is necessary as they deteriorate with age. This is due to a number of factors such as damage, wear and tear, corrosion, excessive electrical loading and environmental influences. It is easy to take electricity for granted – just flick a switch and the power comes on. But electricity can also be an invisible danger that can cause shocks, severe burns, and death, as well as property damage from fires and explosions. In some cases, there is no warning of the danger to come. Fortunately, with a proper system of inspecting and testing, you can protect yourself and your property.
We offer three levels of electrical installation inspection:
1. Full Periodic Electrical Inspection & Verification Testing.
2. Periodic Electrical Inspection & Verification Reports
3. Routine Electrical Inspection Reports
You may also choose to have a routine electrical inspection carried out which is an intermediate version of the periodic inspection. It contains some testing but is not as thorough as the periodic. Typically it would be used in the intervening years between periodic inspections to monitor for deterioration, or where the fuller periodic inspection was not felt necessary.
When entering into an agreement for electrical inspection and testing of your premises it is a fundamental requirement that the extent and limitations of the inspection and testing are fully described. It is recommended that the following be agreed prior to beginning the work, and we can assist you in determining your exact requirements for inspection and testing.
The majority of installations can be fully tested by agreeing a shut down process of testing certain areas at agreed times with the entire installation eventually being tested. In some cases it may not be practical nor possible to inspect all parts of an installation, so we will agree a sampling process. This is normally in the order of 25% – 40% of all accessories, fittings and control equipment. This can of course be increased or decreased to suit our clients’ needs.
For much of the testing the electrical system will be switched off. If this is a problem we can arrange the work at times when this will be more convenient. We will agree before commencing any work, the amount of down time that can be tolerated and devise a program for isolating areas, or distribution boards if required.
The cost of the work will be largely based around the extent of the work as described above, and as such we cannot quote fixed prices for such variable possibilities. For more information on pricing you may contact our office.
There are recommendations set by the Electrical Technical Council of Ireland (ETCI) which can be seen in our guidelines section.