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Fixed Wire Testing Guide for commercial premises

Electrical safety is a legal responsibility for all duty holders and employers in commercial premises. In this article, we can help you learn more about the importance of Fixed Wire Testing and electrical regulations for your workplace.

15 October 2024

What is Fixed Wire Testing?

A Fixed Wire Test is an electrical service, also commonly referred to as an EICR Test, which is conducted to determine whether critical electrical systems in a building are safe and compliant with BS 7671 (18th Edition) standards.

This includes but is not limited to:

  • Distribution boards
  • Circuits
  • Residual Current Devices (RCD’s)
  • Sockets and accessories
  • Over-current Protective Devices (MCB’s / Fuses)
  • Surge Protective Devices (SPD’s)

How often should Fixed Wire Testing be carried out?

The frequency of Fixed Wire Testing depends on key factors such as the type of electrical installation, how often it’s used and the environment it’s in. If an area is deemed high-risk, as referred to in Guidance Note 3: Inspection & Testing 9th Edition, a Fixed Wire Test should be conducted more regularly, between at least every one to three years.

For example, factors which may impact testing frequency include areas with:

  • Extreme temperatures – Including industrial facilities.
  • Excess moisture – Common in leisure areas, such as swimming pools.
  • Dusty environments – Including areas susceptible to mechanical dust, such as factories.
  • Hazardous areas – Environments which contain flammable or explosive materials.

In general, for non-high-risk commercial premises, it’s recommended that a Fixed Wire Test is conducted every five years. This includes retail stores, offices, and schools. This may vary for each industry or sector, depending on operational demands. Although, for social housing and housing associations this is not a guideline and is mandatory by law.

Contact our electrical team to schedule your Fixed Wire Test

Is Fixed Wire Testing a legal requirement?

In the UK currently, a Fixed Wire Test is only a legal requirement for social housing and housing associations. This was made a legal obligation by the UK Government in 2021. However, this is not applicable for commercial premises. Although, it’s still important for duty holders to comply with electrical safety regulations, such as Electricity at Work Regulations (1989) and the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA). This includes statutory Section 4 of the HSWA, which outlines that duty holders must conduct essential inspections, maintenance, and documentation to ensure electrical installations are safe.

However, by obtaining a periodic Fixed Wire Test for commercial premises, duty holders can ensure that electrical systems within a building are safe and compliant with electrical regulations as it’s conducted by a specialist electrical engineer, abiding by BS 7671 (18th Edition). This is then documented within a comprehensive EICR certificate.

A Fixed Wire Test may also be a requirement under some business insurance policies, it’s important to check your policy as any claims submitted for electrical faults may not be covered by your insurance if you do not have an EICR certificate or have difficulty proving necessary remedial work was conducted prior to the fault.

What is involved in Fixed Wire Testing?

A Fixed Wire Test involves thorough visual inspections, followed by testing the electrical system to detect any faults and verify integrity of the wiring. This covers all main electrical systems such as panels, distribution boards, sockets, accessories, lighting and protective devices.

After testing is conducted, all findings and test results are then composed within a comprehensive EICR report. This report will clearly outline all electrical systems tested, any faults and remedial action required. All remedial works will be placed into codes of severity.

We can assist you with Electrical Remedial Works following a Fixed Wire Test. Learn more about how faults are documented and rated, with our helpful explanation of EICR Codes.

Is an EICR the same as a Fixed Wire Test?

An EICR is the documentation used for Fixed Wire Testing. The terminology for this service varies between different companies and electrical engineers within the industry, but ultimately it is recognised as the same electrical testing service.

Fixed Wire Testing is also commonly referred to as:

  • Periodic inspections
  • An EICR report or EICR test
  • Hardwire testing
  • Electrical testing
  • Electrical Installation Condition Reporting (EICR)

Who can carry out a Fixed Wire Test?

A Fixed Wire Test should only be conducted by a qualified and skilled electrical engineer. At BES Group, our electrical engineers are NICEIC approved. We provide commercial Fixed Wire Testing services across SME’s, public sector premises, hospitality, retail, leisure and more.

We also provide Fixed Wire Testing services across many other sectors including social housing and housing associations, contact our team to find out more.

Schedule your Fixed Wire Test with BES Group

How long does a Fixed Wire Test take to conduct?

The time taken to conduct a Fixed Wire Test is dependent on the complexity of your electrical installation, daily operations, and scale of your building.

As a Fixed Wire Test provider, we can work with you to ensure operational downtime is kept to a minimum, by working outside of peak operational times and during scheduled shutdowns. We also provide convenient after-hours electrical services between 7-10pm, which is beneficial for offices and retail premises, to reduce disruption to daily services.

As a leading provider in electrical services, we can also help facilitate:

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