First periodic inspection

I am doing a college assessment and one of the questions is ' As the designer,you are to specify the maximum period to the first periodic inspection and test.'

After a new installation or when new circuits are added to an existing installation when should the first periodic inspection take place and subsequent inspections frequency.

There are recommendations in one of the books, its dependent on property type as to the recommended time span.

Have you got access to or a copy of Guidance Note 3, 'Inspection & Testing'? Section 3.7 & Table 3.2 discuss the frequency of periodic inspections. As Steptoe points out it is not just the type of work you have done, also the type of environment the installation is in; Domestic dwellings, Residential accommodation, Commercial, Educational, Industrial, Offices, Shops, Hospitals, Cinemas, Pubs, Churches etc, all have very different typical wear and tear usage, as such the same type of circuit but in a different environment, used by people who may be skilled, unskilled, trained, supervised etc can all need different frequency of inspection and testing to verify continued safe operation. When giving a recommended duration before the next inspection, you should have a understanding of these concepts to be able to justify your reasons, not just a put down a number because that's what we always do type of answer..

Doc H.  

Joshg129 said:

I am doing a college assessment and one of the questions is ' As the designer,you are to specify the maximum period to the first periodic inspection and test.'

After a new installation or when new circuits are added to an existing installation when should the first periodic inspection take place and subsequent inspections frequency.

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time to first test depends on use etc. there are tables in guidance notes etc. a lot of EIC's i do the next test due is 1 year

for subsequent I&T, thats not for you to decide, its for the person doing the EICR

Joshg129 said:

I am doing a college assessment and one of the questions is ' As the designer,you are to specify the maximum period to the first periodic inspection and test.'

After a new installation or when new circuits are added to an existing installation when should the first periodic inspection take place and subsequent inspections frequency.

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There have been some good answers previously I would not like to detract from those, other than to say, as the designer it is whatever period you specify. It is not in any book, and as you are the designer who has a vested interest in the integrity of your design it is up to you and you alone. Guides are written for dummies, for those who do not design but install, have no interest in the derations, and quite frankly could not care less.

However your tutor would more than likely fall into this category, having read the guides and not designed or been responsible for design. I for instance would never give any domestic a 10 year clean bill of health, at most I will give 5 years. For industrial I would want a test every year, with visual inspections at 6 monthly periods between. NHS hospitals every month for visuals, and every 6 months for insulation measurements and earthing tests.

Some EICR's I have issued have been for 24 hrs. I did not find that period in any book, but it was the maximum I was prepared to issue.

Rental properties are normally done at a change of tenant, some of them don't tamper with electrics, some are murder for it. I got called out last year, a foreign couple had just moved into a council house down the road from me, it had been refurbed including a rewire before they moved in.Within a week they were messing about with the lights, because "the husband knew all about electrics". Cutting off wires he didn't need and making joints with masking tape had resulted in some interesting issues, not to mention the triple spot light bar directly over the bath. They decided to call me out as they suddenly realised the council may not only charge them but would be unhappy with the way he'd "improved" the electrics.

phil d said:

Rental properties are normally done at a change of tenant,

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The general guidance is for all properties to be checked at change of tenant or change of occupancy, rental or privately owned. Which to my mind is no different from you getting an AA or RAC vehicle check done if you buy a secondhand car. Just good practice and common sense in my opinion. 

Doc H.