Test & Commission Services
Periodic Inspection Report
Every Electrical installation should be regularly tested this is called a “Period inspection report”, whether it is your home or place of work, many insurance companies will not payout in the event of damage to an installation due to an electrical fault unless it is proven that the building has been tested!
The Electricity at Work Regulations state that all electrical systems and equipment used in the working environment should be in a safe condition. The Health & Safety Executive recommend that to comply with the regulations an inspection and testing schedule must be implemented at all workplaces. The frequency of this schedule will depend on the type of installation and it uses and will vary from 3-months to 10 years.
We employ engineers who are Fully qualified to carry out testing of fixed installations in a professional and efficient manor, our office based team upload the results from site to our powerful software to produce Electronically generated test certificates, schematics and Distribution board schedules which can be distributed either as a hard copy or emailed to you. With every test that is carried out we will automatically provide a quotation for any remedial work that may be required in an easy to read format and categorized into “Required” or “recommended” work.
Portable Appliance Testing
A portable appliance is any piece of equipment that can be moved from area to area and reconnected to the supply via a plug and socket system. During everyday use such appliances become worn or damaged which can lead to them becoming unsafe if not properly maintained. PAT Testing is a documented method of electrical maintenance.
The reasons to undertake PAT Testing include complying with the Electricity at Work Regulations - to minimize the risk of fire and injury caused by electrical appliances, to remove the risk of your insurance company disputing a claim for damage from fire through insufficient maintenance, and to comply with ISO Quality Assurance.
Fire Detection Testing
All Fire systems should be regularly tested whether it is a single battery powered smoke detector in a small domestic dwelling or an extensive Fire detection system in a large commercial premises
Fire Alarm Regulations BS5839 require the duty holder to undertake Periodic checks to ensure the functionality of the system.
Failure to keep the Fire Alarm System in working order could lead the local Fire Brigade to serve enforcement notices requiring compliance; they also have the authority to close any building which does not meet this act. Check Frequencies required by BS5839 are:
- Daily
- Weekly
- Quarterly
- Annually
All check frequencies have specific requirements. Checks should be recorded where necessary in the Fire Safety Log Book.
GA have been installing and regularly testing Fire Alarms under contract for 15 years and so have considerable expertise. After careful evaluation of your premises we can carry out a Formal Inspection & test that fully complies with the requirements as set out in BS5839. All inspections will check that the Fire Alarm is installed in the required locations as well as testing the functionality of existing equipment.
Emergency lighting testing
Emergency lighting is required in all premises where people are employed and is designed to assist the occupants in evacuating the premises in the event of power failure which may also be an emergency.
It is a mandatory requirement to be installed where artificial lighting is installed. Remember, Emergency Lighting is designed to help save lives. BS5266 requires inspection & tests should be carried out at the following intervals (Frequencies);
- Daily
- Monthly
- Six-Monthly
- Three Yearly
- Subsequent Annual Test
There are specific requirements for each test frequency which should be recorded in the Emergency Lighting Log Book which we can provide if not already in use.
After careful evaluation of your premises, its uses and its occupancy, we will carry out a Formal Inspection & test that fully complies with the requirements as set out in BS5266-1:1999.
Following a Periodic Inspection of your Emergency Lighting Installation, we will provide a Certificate that will detail the specific nature of the inspection as well as advise of any departures from BS5266, our certificates are all endorsed by both the NICEIC and ECA.
BS5266 requires an up to date log book to be kept that details the type of Emergency lighting installed along with all events and checks to be logged. Where no log book is present, GA can supply a comprehensive log book that fully details the type of emergency lighting system installed, responsible persons, contractors and even Manufacturers should spare parts be sought.
Lightning Protection testing
It is essential that organizations instigate a proper testing and maintenance program for their lightning protection system; many people don’t only know if their lightning protection system is working properly until they suffer a strike and by that time they could have suffered catastrophic damage to their building and business.
Most building services would simply not function correctly if faults or defects were present but the correct operation of a lightning protection system only becomes obvious when it is called upon to protect a structure. For this reason it is even more vital to ensure that fully trained and accredited engineers undertake regular testing and maintenance works on vulnerable structures and sites. The current in a lightning strike is likely to be in the range of 2,000 - 200,000A and so an effective operational system is vital to ensure the protection of assets.
The vast majority of structures in the UK use BS6651 to inform their design, testing and maintenance works in relation to lightning protection. This standard states a “competent person” should carry out inspections. At GA we are partnered with contractors who are Atlas (Association of Technical Lightning) third-party accredited, proving their ability to design and report on lightning protection Systems.
Thermal Imaging
Thermal Imaging or Thermography is the process of using a special camera designed to look only for heat by way of Infra Red (IR) energy waves. Unlike Light waves, IR is invisible to the naked eye therefore so is heat. Potential problems can often be found due to an excess of heat being released by the component, even those which would normally produce some heat when performing at their optimum level. If undetected these problems can lead to failure. These failures can result in expensive production loss or downtime and in the most extreme case can lead to fire.
Because heat cannot be seen and certainly any differences between normal temperature and raised levels due to possible malfunction could not be picked up by even the most highly skilled engineer, Thermography makes perfect sense to use as part of a normal maintenance schedule.
Thermography is a non-contact and non-destructive type of testing, and is an invaluable resource for predictive maintenance.
A regular programme of Thermal Imaging as part of routine maintenance can highlight potential problems long before any event. As a result any required repairs can be planned for in terms of both time and budget. In electrical systems Thermal Imaging can find:
- Loose connections
- Overloads
- Phase imbalances
- Blocked or restricted cooling tubes in transformers
- High resistance in fuses and switchgear
Thermal imaging is one of the most valuable diagnostic tools for predictive maintenance.
POWER MONITORING SURVEYS
At GA We have a range of monitoring instruments to perform electrical power disturbance, harmonic and power consumption analysis. We simply set up and install a device on site and at the end of the monitoring period provide a detailed report complete with graphical analysis, even more importantly than that we will speak to you in layman’s terms about what we have discovered and what we can do to help.
Are your electrical bills higher than you would expect, do you not know where you are using all the energy then we can help. We have recently installed Power factor correction equipment in a factory costing under £4000 and managed to save them £1200 a year on their electricity bill proving a very impressive payback period.
Disclaimer: All information detailed above is for reference purposes only, any or all details may have changed, please refer to current Regulations & Guidelines.
