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ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTING DUE IN Building Name


Now Next 3 Next 3-6 Next 6-9 Testing Testing Testing months months months due and not due planned


202/2 Build 202/2 search search search search search search search 611 0 0 1 0 1365 273 Spare Non-


not due circuits spare and


planned search search search 4172 1976 16148


Figure 5: The EDIS Test Coverage Report provides tracking of tests on a circuit by circuit basis. Large estates and buildings often have rolling test programmes and ongoing installations and changes. If the test and inspection of each circuit cannot be easily reported on, the chance of not testing circuits, or unnecessarily testing circuits, becomes prevalent, increasing costs and risks.


limitations and factors that prevent the required inspections and testing from being completed. These include contract limitations, circuits that cannot be traced, boards that cannot be de-energised, limitations due to operational requirements, and limitations preventing access to distribution boards and circuits. These limitations that prevent testing reduce the test coverage, sometimes to unacceptable levels. For example, we have observed test schedules that contained limitations for every circuit test due to lack of access and de-energising circuits that supplied a critical workspace; nevertheless, the report was submitted, with no tests undertaken, and no explanation of the limitation.


Test limitations can apply to critical areas


Ironically, test limitations often apply to critical areas. Testing and inspection limitations therefore reduce the test coverage. In large buildings, where rolling tests are carried out, the compliance assessment is further complicated, as whole areas of the building may not be tested. Limitations of recent condition reports, and the status of the testing programme, combine to reduce the overall test coverage for a building. Test coverage provides a measure of the amount of circuits tested compared with the total number of circuits. The test coverage should be within the acceptable limits based on the nature of the electrical installation. Older installations that have been modified and expanded over time may need a higher test coverage than a newer, more uniform, installation. Lack of adequate test coverage will prevent the responsible person from confidently asserting that they have met their duty of care.


Our recommendation to improve test coverage is to measure the number of circuits tested and the different tests completed per circuit. This report can be easily extracted from the electrical installation condition report. These measures can then be assessed, and a technical decision made on whether or not the coverage is adequate given the age and nature of the infrastructure.


32 Health Estate Journal June 2020 ‘‘


Older installations that have been modified and expanded over time may need a higher test coverage than a newer, more uniform, installation


Figure 5 provides an example of how the EDIS system facilitates the management and tracking of test coverage.


Some further observations that support the above three requirements, and improve the management of fixed wire testing programmes, include: n A clear and meaningful description of the certificate is required. Too often the report description is ‘To meet the 5-yearly inspection and testing requirements’, which is obvious, given the nature of the report. Useful details could include the area being tested, the target percentage of boards and circuits being tested, a purchase order number, contract references, a statement that observations categorised as C1s have been addressed, and any descriptive information that will assist the person reading the report five years after it was created.


n The completion of an accurate list that uniquely identifies the distribution boards, their location, and their electrical supply. This is often a precursor to a successful testing programme – without an inventory of all the distribution boards, panels, and power distribution units, the test coverage cannot be verified.


n Tracking tests on a circuit by circuit basis. Large estates and buildings often have rolling test programmes and ongoing installations and changes. If the test and inspection of each circuit cannot be easily reported on, the chance of not testing circuits or unnecessarily testing circuits becomes prevalent, increasing costs and risks.


n A certified electrical inspection condition report, with remedials completed, and acceptable test


coverage, will provide the responsible person with the information to confidently and accurately report that the building is electrically compliant at a point in time. Without a verified certificate, accompanied by any remedial works and adequate test coverage, the compliance statement cannot be confidently made.


From our experience of fixed wire testing programmes, we believe the dissonance between completed fixed wire testing programmes and a confident statement of electrical compliance can be eliminated if the programme ensures that electrical certificates are fully completed, the remedial works are addressed, and a technically acceptable level of test coverage is achieved.


circuits Total circuits


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Michael Joubert


Michael Joubert is the ‘architect behind’, and head of operations for, EDIS (Electrical Distribution Information System), a system used by organisations to manage their electrical compliance Over the past 10 years he has led the development of EDIS and the Smarter EI&T process used by large public and private corporations ‘to save time and cost, and reduce risk’, in their electrical compliance processes.


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