The Electrical Installation Condition Report

This is your guide to the electrical installation condition report, what it is, who needs it and who should carry it out.

Old and faulty wiring is a major cause of building electrical fires. The risk of this kind of fire can be reduced by a regular check of the condition of each switch, socket and cable, with frequency of the inspection varying, depending on the use of the premises.

What is an EICR?

The Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is an official document produced by a qualified electrician, after assessment of electrical installation in industrial, commercial or domestic premises.

Only electricians registered for `Part P` of the Building Regulations, with body like the ECA or NICEIC should undertake this type of electrical testing.

This is how a typical EICR looks like:

If you are an electrician and need a professional, editable form that you can fill in yourself and give to your clients, you will find one here: Free to use EICR form

Don`t worry it is 100% free and you can use Open Office (a free alternative to MS Word) to edit it.

Five main objectives that should met by an electrical condition report:

1. To record results from testing and inspection ensuring that the electrical installation being examined will be safe for use until the time of the next inspection - once any work needed to make it safe has been done.
2. To identify any wear and tear or damage that might impact on safety. This should be reported in detail.
3. To identify any parts within the electrical installation that will not meet IET Wiring Regulations.
4. To identify anything that has the potential to inflict an electric shock or to produce high temperatures.
5. To provide and record, in detail, the specifics of the electrical installation at the time that the inspection was conducted as well as providing information to inform future inspection testing.

Recognising the age of your electrical installations

There are easy ways to help identify how old the equipment that comprises your home's electrical installation is, and these include:

• Any cables that are fixed and black rubber coated went out of use in the nineteen sixties.
• Cables that are fixed and have a coating of fabric or lead were in use before the sixties.
A wooden back to a fuse box, switches in cast iron or a mixture of fuse boxes indicate installation before the sixties
• Sockets or light switches with round pins and braided flex that hangs from ceilings, brown or black switches, or sockets mounted where there have been no skirting boards indicate installation before the sixties.
• Light switches that are on walls or in bathrooms will have been installed before the sixties.

No matter what the age of your electrical installation damage is always possible and it will always be subject to wear and tear. An EICR check by a qualified electrician, at least every 10 years or on taking over a new property is advised. These tests will be required more frequently in commercial premises.