Electrical Safety
Property Inspections
Most electrical installations carried out in a property are now notifiable: in other words the local authority building control must be notified prior to the work being carried out. The exception is if it is carried out, inspected and certified by a person registered with a government-authorised competent person scheme such as NICEIC. Failure to comply with Part P is a criminal offence and local authorities have the power to require the removal or alteration or work that does not comply with the regulations.
Identifying faulty electrical installations can be difficult especially in rented properties as tenants may have carried out electrical work themselves without requesting permission or notifying their landlord. As such, NICIEC advises that you should arrange to:
1. Carry out regular visual inspections, looking for obcious signs of damage such as scorch marks on socket outlets and damaged cables
2. Get the property inspected and tested by a competent person on change of occupancy.
3. Ensure formal inspection and testing more often in higher risk properties where the installation is very old or where damage has been found in the past.
4. Carry out regular inspections on all electrical appliances.
Inspecting electrical appliances
If you are a landlord and provide any electrical appliances as part of the tenancy, the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 require that you ensure the appliances are safe to use when first supplied. Each time the property is relet, it will be classed as supplying to that tenant for the first time and appliances must be check for signs of damage, including:
1. cuts or abrasions to the cable covering
2. cracked casing or bent pins
3. loose parts and screws
4. overheating (burn marks)
5. the outer covering of the cable not being gripped where it enters the plug or equipment. Look to see if the coloured insulation of the internal wires is showing.
You may need to carry out a formal inspection which should include removal of the plug cover to check:
1. the cord grip is holding the outer part of the cable tightly
2. the wores, including the earth wire where fitted, are attached to the correct terminals.
3. no bare wire is visible other than at the terminals.
4. the terminal screws are tight.
5. there is no sign of internal damage, overheating or entry of liquid, dust or dirt.
Most of these checks apply to extension leads and their plugs and sockets. But some faults cannot be detected in this way, such as lack of continuous earths, which for some equipment is essential for safey. All earthed equipment should have a regular combined inspection and test to look for faults. Combined inspection and testing should be carried out where there is reason to suspect the equipment may be faulty or damaged or contaminated, but where this cannot be confirmed by visual inspection. Combined testing should also be carried out after any repair or similar work to the equipment.
Extension leads warning
Use of extension leads should be avoided where possible. If used, they should be tested as portable appliances. It is recommended that 3-core leads (including a protective earthing conductor) be used.
A standard 13 amp, 3-pin extension socket outlet with a 2-core cable should never be used even if the appliance is Class II (music system, TV and video), as it would not provide protection against electric shock if used at any time with an item of Class I (cookers, washing machines, refrigerators, irons, dishwashers.)
Portable Equipment Outdoors
In domestic premises, all socket outlets which may be used for portable equipment outdoors, should have additional protection by an RCD (a safety device that switches off the electricity automatically when it detects an earth fault) to provide protection against electric shock.
Socket outlets installed below kitchen worktops may usually be considered to be unavailable for connection of outdoor portable equpment, and would therefore not be required to be RCD protected. It is wise to exclude socket outlets intended for refrigerators and freezers from circuits which require sensitive RCD protection.
Which electrician should I choose?
NICEIC acts under licence from the Electrical Safety Council, as the electrical contracting industry's independent vountary regulatory body that has been assessing the competence of electrical contractors since 1956. NICEIC is dedicated to promting safe electrical installations in the home and places of work and leisure and has a register of around 20,000 approved electrical contractors and domestic installers throughout the UK and Northern Ireland. NICEIC registered businesses are assessed annually.
In England and Wales, it is a legal requirement for electrical work carried out in and outside the home to comply with Part P of the Building Regulations. The easiest way to be sure that your electrician complies with the law is to employ one registered with a government authorised scheme, such as the NICEIC Domestic Installer Scheme.
Any electrical contractor installing a new electrical installation, or altering/adding to an existing electrical installation, must issue the appropriate Certificate, which is a safety declaration confirming that their work complies with the national safety standard BS7671. A contractor reporting on the condition of an existing electrical installation should issue a Periodic Inspection Report detailing their findings and providing separate recommendations for any work that needs to be carried out. The certificate or report should be fully completed and signed. Details of what you should expect to receive are given on the NICEIC website - www.niceic.com.
To find an electrician in your area, call 0870 013 0382 or visit www.niceic.com.
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