INSPECTION AND TESTING TECHNICAL


>>> Continued from page 41


for initial routine checks or inspection and testing of premises. However, this is only a recommendation and not necessarily the whole picture for ensuring premises are in safe condition. The decision on what is appropriate for future inspection and testing should also include consideration of the following: ●Who will be using the installation or equipment, e.g. ordinary persons, children, people with a disability, instructed persons or skilled persons? ●How old is the installation or equipment and what condition is it in? ●What is its frequency of operation? ●Are there any specific maintenance requirements, e.g. those given in manufacturer’s instructions and any necessary for maintaining the warranty conditions? ●What type of equipment is in use, e.g. handheld, portable, fixed, etc? ●What is the construction class of the connected equipment, e.g. Class I, Class II, or Class III, etc? ●Is the installation or equipment suitable for the environment where it is being used, e.g. IP ratings suitable? ●How is the equipment connected to the fixed wiring, e.g. BS 1363 or BS EN 60309 plug and socket-outlet, BS 1363-4 fused connection unit, BS EN 60947-3 isolation switch or switch fuse, etc?


Connected equipment


It should also be highlighted with regard to any equipment connected to the fixed wiring that, although it is subject to the inspection processes in Chapter 64 of BS 7671:2018 when it is part of a new electrical installation, no specific tests are carried out on it and reliance for safety and proper functioning is normally implied by following the manufacturer’s instructions and compliance with the appropriate product standard, manufacturer’s type testing and the European Low Voltage Directive (CE mark). Alternatively, new equipment put into use from January 2021 may comply with the new UK designated standards and the marking system introduced from 1 January 2021, i.e. the new UKCA mark. Where equipment has been in service


42 CABLEtalk JUNE/JULY 2021


Follow the guidance to make sure premises can safely open up again


for some time, the advice given in the recently published 5th Edition of the IET publication Code of practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment would be more appropriate and should be followed. This also contains new guidance on assessing the initial frequency of inspection and testing of equipment with example risk assessments provided in Tables A9.1 and A9.2. These featured in the December/ January issue of CABLEtalk, and one is again shown opposite for information. They help quantify the risk to which equipment is exposed in a workplace and may be of help to the dutyholder when deciding on an appropriate frequency. Within the scope of this assessment,


it may also be useful to remind duty- holders that the inspection and testing of permanently connected current-using equipment often falls between the gaps of PI&T and ISITEE and can often be overlooked.


The dutyholder should be aware of this when organising inspection and testing as part of the preventative maintenance procedures and ensure that a clear scope for the inspection and testing regime is set out so that those carrying out PI&T and ISITEE clearly understand what is to be inspected and tested.


Note: Permanently connected current- using equipment is equipment that is connected directly to the fixed wiring through a connection unit or isolation switch or similar. Typical examples include air conditioning equipment, immersion heaters, luminaires, machinery in a workshop and storage heaters - the list of equipment is not exhaustive.


Conclusion


Where adequate preventative maintenance measures have been in place and records of PI&T and ISITEE are available, it may be that minimal routine checks are needed before re-opening. However, this may not be appropriate for premises where no obvious preventative maintenance measures exist and there are no records of previous PI&T and ISITEE. In these situations, it is recommended that the dutyholder considers implementing more extensive inspection and testing procedures to ensure the electrical installations and equipment are safe and operating correctly, including PI&T and ISITEE to identify any issues. This should be sufficient to ensure all


employees and clients can safely return as we – hopefully – carefully move back to a more normal life.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56