Having the responsibility for the electrical inspections of a business can be extremely daunting. Not merely due to the size of the task – particularly if your business’s premises is vast – but also owing to the fact that if something goes wrong with the electrics, it poses a significant risk to life.
The danger of faulty electrics is so serious, which is why it is governed by strict regulations. In fact, one of the main causes of fires in the workplace is usually caused by an electrical fault, and no one would ever want that to be on their conscience.
It is extremely easy to make mistakes when testing electrics which is why it is always advisable to use experienced professionals. If you do not have these in-house, they can be found at companies such as Hexo Electrical Testing which work with businesses in this area. If you are responsible for testing yourself, take a look at these 3 electrical inspection errors to avoid when testing to give yourself a higher chance of success:
Not testing everything and not testing thoroughly.
If you’re going to test the elements in a building that might pose a risk, you need to ensure that you check absolutely every single one of them. This requires a high level of organization and thoroughness, including documenting and even labeling what you have and have not done. It will need to be done regularly too as electrical products can degrade over time and with use. It only takes one small wire to be exposed, a spark to form, and a fire could start near the waste paper of a photocopier, for example.
Electrical testing requires a structured and systematic approach, so it is best advised to define a robust process that will ensure that everything is checked in full. There should be checkpoints of each thing and documentation filled out so that in the event of an issue, it would help to identify where the problem lay.
Ignoring alterations
Adding or removing elements to any electrical item, part or system can have a significant impact on both its effectiveness and its safety. Adding extra items to an existing system can put too much strain, cause an overload, and wires may melt, spark, and burn. The addition of extra items such as sockets, for example, needs checking too as depending on who has fitted them, they may not have been implemented correctly. Poor installation can easily lead to a dangerous fault.
Relying on a board schedule
So everything is labeled on the circuit board, but how do you know it has been labeled correctly? Maybe it was labeled correctly on installation, but since then alterations have taken place, and the board hasn’t been updated. Don’t rely on anything you see – absolutely everything must be thoroughly checked, or a fault could lie undetected and cause issues later down the line.
It is absolutely crucial to ensure electrical testing is conducted thoroughly and regularly. If you’re in any doubt whatsoever, turn to a professional third party who will be able to take the problem off your hands.
