What is EICR? How Long It Takes to Complete EICR?

If you are in charge of a business structure, such as a store, office, or warehouse, you must make sure the circuits and electrical equipment are safe.

The best method to do this might be to create an EICR, or electrical installation condition report. Electric shocks and fires can result from outdated and defective electrical infrastructure. An EICR checks the installations in commercial buildings, allowing you to rectify broken circuits and demonstrate that your structure complies with health and safety laws.

When your electrical installations are checked by a “skilled” individual to make sure they are secure and will not pose any fire risks or electric shock hazards, this is known as an EICR.

What is ‘electrical installation’?

An electrical installation may comprise all the fixed electrical equipment and accessories that are supplied along with the electricity meter. It will consist of:

  • Consumer unit which is your fuse box or distribution boards containing all the fuses, MCBs, and preferably residual current devices
  • Cabling including those concealed in the ceilings and walls
  • Accessories like sockets, switches, and other light fittings.

Why is an EICR so essential in a commercial building?

In a business structure, fire can spread quickly, especially in a factory or manufacturing setting. This is because:

  • Factories are prone to becoming dusty. There is always a chance that this dust will float into various vents and plugs, overheating electrical systems and equipment
  • Flammable gases and chemicals are frequently used in factories during the production process
  • Fire danger is increased by paper, wood, and other flammable products/materials.
  • Electrical systems and equipment are more likely to experience wear and tear and to be used for longer periods of time.

You have a duty under the law to ensure the security of your commercial premises. This is in accordance with many pieces of legislation, such as the Electricity at Work Regulations of 1989 and the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974.

You might be held accountable if someone gets hurt. Your insurance provider might decline to compensate you if a fire damages your property and you cannot demonstrate that you have taken all reasonable precautions for safety.

EICR is the best way to guarantee that your building is safe from fire danger and that it complies with all applicable laws and requirements.

How long an EICR may take?

The size of the building and the number of circuits that need testing can affect how long it takes to complete an EICR. Any significant problems that the electrical engineer discovers must be fixed, which can take time.

How often should you get an EICR?

The building determines the testing frequency. Some buildings may require an EICR more frequently than others because they are more vulnerable to risk.

For instance, whereas workplaces and schools only require an EICR every five years, swimming pools require one annually.

Depending on the environment and the general state of the electrical infrastructure, the electrical engineer doing the testing will determine how frequently the testing intervals are.

 

By Mary