As a business owner, it’s your job to make sure everything is in place and running smoothly, including the electrical setup. Having a well-maintained electrical system keeps your business safe, energy-efficient, and compliant with the necessary regulations.
Inspections are an important part of maintaining your business’ electrical systems. Regular electrical safety checks for businesses can flag up any potential risks or vulnerabilities in your electric wiring, devices, or equipment.
But what does an electrical safety check involve? And what should your annual electrical safety check cover?
In this blog, we’re exploring 4 important safety checks every UK business should schedule in their annual electrical inspections.
Whether you run a restaurant, a small retail outlet, or a large manufacturing unit, staying on top of your electrical safety is essential to avoid disruptions and safeguard your workplace.
When you neglect electrical checks, you’re risking unprecedented downtime, fire hazards, and legal problems, all of which can cost your business significantly. Investing time and energy in regular inspections can help you prevent wiring faults, overloaded circuits, and power failures.
These checks also give you complete peace of mind, knowing that your business meets the required safety standards. It goes without saying, but these annual electrical safety checks are best left to professional electricians.
An electrical safety check is a thorough inspection of a business’s electrical system by a qualified electrician. You can expect your commercial electrician to:
Here are 5 detailed annual electrical safety checks every business in the UK should carry out.
An EICR is a detailed inspection of your business’s electrical systems and wiring to identify any faulty installations, wear and tear, or any other likely hazards that could lead to electrical faults or fire risks.
You’ll need to schedule an EICR every three years for public buildings, such as shops, schools, and hospitals. For other commercial establishments, this annual electrical safety check needs to be carried out once every five years.
EICRs cover:
Inspecting your building’s electrical panel and distribution board helps you determine that the power in your premises is properly protected and functioning.
Within this check, you can expect:
Residual Current Devices (RCDs) and Residual Current Breakers with Overloads (RCBOs) are devices specially designed to enhance safety and prevent electrocution in a workplace. They switch off electricity if a fault is detected.
RCD and RCBO checks cover:
If they are not a part of the EICR, RCD and RCBO checks need to be completed annually.
Checking your office or workspace’s wiring and socket outlets will help you spot any signs of damage or faults that may lead to a fire hazard.
This inspection covers:
Under EICR, load assessment checks for any voltage fluctuations or inefficiencies in your commercial electrical system.
Load assessment covers:
PAT is applicable for all portable electrical appliances, and this test helps determine their safe continued usage. PAT is necessary for businesses using computers, kitchen appliances, power tools, and other electrical equipment.
PAT includes:
According to the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, all businesses are legally responsible for ensuring the safety of their electrical appliances. PAT is recommended in an annual electrical safety check, and the frequency of checks varies according to the levels of business risk.
Emergency light installations allow for safe evacuation in the event of a power failure. You should conduct emergency lighting testing to check whether your business is fully equipped to handle unprecedented situations.
Emergency lighting tests check for:
A comprehensive full-duration test of your emergency lighting system for at least 3 hours should be conducted once a year.
Inspecting the fire alarm systems is another non-negotiable electrical safety check. All businesses in the UK must have a fully functional fire alarm system on the premises for the protection of lives and the property in case a fire breaks out.
A fire alarm system inspection includes:
Businesses must carry out a full inspection by a certified professional every six months.
Oaktree Electrical’s annual electrical safety checks for businesses include a comprehensive fire alarm inspection by our professional and licensed electricians. Explore our case studies for satisfied client experiences and contact us today for reliable commercial electrical services.
Annual electrical inspections are a non-negotiable requirement for any UK business to function smoothly. To ensure you meet the legal regulations you need a professional partner with experience and comprehensive service offerings.
Oaktree Electrical can help you with your annual electrical safety checks, offering a testing schedule tailored to your business’s needs. We understand the importance of keeping your business running without compromising its safety, which is why we schedule our servicing times to minimise any disruption in your daily operations.
As well as offering complete and comprehensive commercial and industrial electrical services for all types of businesses, we also service new build housing services, and offer maintenance services.
Reach out to us at 01322 552888 or office@oaktree-electrical.co.uk today.
