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A business must gain periodic EICR certificates to ensure the electrical systems’ health and efficiency on your premises. EICR inspection and testing ensure that timely preventative maintenance can be performed before problems get out of hand. As a part of the commercial electrical installation condition report, Fixed-Wire Testing is done to test electrical installations that may degrade with time.
An in-depth inspection of the internal wiring must be carried out instead of testing the appliances plugged into the installations. Under BS-7671 regulations, the EICR report outlines if the electrical installations are in satisfactory condition or need immediate maintenance or upgrade.
Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) recommends the commercial properties to have an EICR done every five years or when there’s a change in occupancy, whichever comes first. This time limit is shorter for businesses that are open to the public or have a particularly hazardous disposition.
The Benefits of EICR for Your Business
Among the many benefits that your business may enjoy from EICR inspection and certification, the following four are the most significant;
1. Compliance with the Law
The safety of visitors or workers within a workplace is the duty of the business owner. Fixed Wire Testing is considered a legal requirement according to the IET Wiring Regulations Eighteenth Edition (BS 7671).
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 also enforce electrical safety regulations upon businesses.
These regulations require a business to take appropriate precautions to prevent the risk of death or injury. An EICR inspection and testing ensure the fulfilment of these obligations and help avoid accidents.
EICR can also help identify the circuits that are overloaded, leading to frequent tripping of the breakers. Overloading is dangerous and may damage sensitive equipment.
Potential fire or shock hazards are also identified. Finally, any shoddy installation work that may cause terrible accidents is also identified and rectified.
EICR certificate will give you peace of mind to continue your business with impunity. Moreover, if a disaster occurs despite your precautions, you will not be held liable in a court of law.
2. Validating Business Insurance
The insurance companies are increasingly requesting businesses to carry out electrical testing and present the certification as proof before paying out a claim. EICR certificate absolves the business owner of liability and helps immediate approval of the claim.
In case of an accident involving the electrical systems, the EICR certificate conclusively proves that it was unavoidable. It also demonstrates that you took the steps to a legal and reasonable degree to prevent accidents.
3. Saving Money
Overloaded circuits or overheated equipment consume a lot of energy, which may cost your business obscene amounts of money. When a qualified electrician carries out an EICR inspection, all such areas are identified and corrected. The electrician may also give you some valuable recommendations to improve efficiency, increasing your savings.
4. Reducing the Carbon Footprint
Global warming is not just a theory; it is a fact. We must take steps to reduce our carbon footprint. EICR testing helps identify areas that are inefficiently using energy. You can take immediate steps to improve this waste. Your electrician may also recommend better hardware options that further reduce the waste of energy.
