health & safety
EICR keeping your factory work floor safe
If you are responsible for your factory’s health and safety processes, there are many things you need to do to keep your staff safe. In this article, Darren Tonge, sales director at Hawkesworth, looks at how you can not only protect your staff but safeguard your electrical installations and reduce the risk of equipment malfunctioning.
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ccording to statista, there were 286 fire- related fatalities in the uk in 2019/2020. a fire in any building, whether residential or
commercial, can have devastating consequences. in a factory environment, a fire can spread
even more quickly than usual. Dust, wood, paper, chemicals and other flammable materials can feed a fire rapidly. this can cause a fire to grow not only in the factory but also to spread to the surrounding area. there are several examples of the damage
caused by factory fires. in april this year, a fire broke out at a factory in coventry, with a total of 21 fire crews attending the incident. thankfully, nobody was hurt, but two businesses were affected by the blaze. in May, a fire broke out at a furniture warehouse in Bradford, cutting power to local businesses and homes. as a business owner, you are legally
responsible for the safety of your factory. if anyone is injured, you could be held liable. if a fire causes damage to your factory and you do not have proof that you have taken precautions, your insurance company may refuse to pay out. this is why eicr can be a good way of ensuring that your factory or warehouse stays safe.
WHaT Is EICR? eicr stands for ‘electrical installation condition report’. it is also known as hard wire testing or fixed wire testing. in an eicr inspection, a specially trained
electrician (also known as a ‘skilled person’) tests your electrical installation for compliance. if the electrical installation is not compliant this means there are safety concerns that could pose an immediate danger or a potential danger in the future. the electrician will highlight any concerns in the report so remedial works can then take place. eicrs do more than safeguard staff, visitors
and your building from fire risk and electric shocks; they can also help protect the delicate manufacturing equipment often found in factories. it is usually cheaper and easier to repair existing equipment before it breaks down completely than it is to buy new apparatus. eicr inspections are the most effective way to ensure compliance with regulations and standards.
WHaT Is an ElECTRICal InsTallaTIon? an electrical installation comprises all the fixed electrical equipment that is supplied through the building’s electricity meter. an electrical installation consists of:
consumer unit(s) (also known as a fuse box or distribution board) that contains all the fuses, circuit breakers and residual current devices (rcDs) that a factory needs to function
accessories like sockets, switches and light fittings
cabling – which supplies power to accessories
an eicr does not test electrical equipment or appliances – this is the remit of electrical equipment (pat) testing.
HoW ofTEn sHoulD EICR TEsTIng bE CaRRIED ouT In a faCToRy? typically electrical installations in factories are inspected every three years, however the engineer will specify a recommended retest frequency in the eicr report. Depending on the age of your factory and electrical installation, testing may need to happen more or less frequently. electrical installations in factories are
more prone to wear and tear than other buildings, and are also more likely to be
affected by dust, water and heat. for example, dust can float into an empty socket, causing it to generate excess heat. electrical installations should only be
inspected by a skilled person. however, it is good practice to encourage staff to report any visual signs of damage to their supervisor or manager, such as cracked sockets, flickering lights or worn cabling.
soluTIons foR faCToRIEs THaT opERaTE 24/7 as some machinery takes a long time to get to optimal temperature and speed, some factories need to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. for example, the distribution boards containing the factory’s circuit breakers need to operate all the time. turning machinery off so electrical
installations can be tested may be counterproductive to requirements, reducing output and standards. this is where thermal imaging can be of benefit. a qualified engineer can use an infrared camera to identify components that are giving off excess heat, which could be a sign of a potential problem. this can save your business money and time, all without compromising safety.
In ConClusIon – sTay safE, sTay funCTIonal a factory is a delicate microcosm. one faulty piece of equipment or electrical component can cause shocks, fire risks or even result in unnecessary downtime. a combination of eicr and thermal imaging
can help keep your electrical installations in good condition, reducing the risk of damage or injury to staff and visitors.
Hawkesworth
www.hawkesworthappliancetesting.co.uk
58 july/august 2021 | factory&hanDlingsolutions
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