Testing & Inspection

Testing & Inspection, Part 'P' explained.

Testing and inspection is a phrase we are hearing more and more often where electical work is involved; yet many people don't fully understand what this phrase means. The next few paragraphs below give a brief description of what testing and inspection is and why it is essential to be carried out when an existing electrical installation is ageing or a new electrical installation is being completed.

Q. What is it? And why is it essential to carry it out?

A. We all know that electricity is highly dangerous so when electrical work has been carried out there is a number of things that could go wrong or not be right, even the most experienced or professional electricians can not see or know of these things during installation or before testing is carried out. So it is imperative in our job as electricians to ensure that it has been installed to the best of our ability and to the safest possible way and be sure that every little thing is correct. We can only establish this by carrying out inspection and testing. Two simple but common examples' that could be wrong that only a test instrument will pick up;

1. Faulty or damaged cable ( it could be under floors or concealed within walls were it can not be seen but the cable could have been pierced by screws or nails, it could be a manufacturing fault inside cables, or simply incorrect wiring of cables.)

2. Faulty or damaged accessories sockets, lights or switch's which may have been faulty from manufacturing or damaged during the installation, bearing in mind there are normally other tradesmen on site when bigger jobs are being carried out, they might not inform you or be on site when you'r back to tell you that they have been damaged. They also can easily be damaged in transit from the manufacturers or in the back of the van on the way to the job before they are installed.)

These are two examples above of many faults that can occur, this is why as electricians it is necessary to carry out testing with the correct testing instruments to ensure that faults haven't occurred or accessories haven't been damaged and that the installation has been wired correctly before it is to be energised( switched on).

Inspections are carried out to ensure accessories are correctly fitted and located in the right places. Also you could see something as simple as a crack in a socket outlet, which may not be recognised on a test instrument and could still end up potentially just as dangerous.

If these two common faults alone are not rectified it might not mean that the job doesn't work or just looks bad but it might result in risk of FIRE or in extreme cases electrocution both causing DEATH.

Part 'P'

In January 2005 it became compulsory by the government that any electrical work in domestic dwellings no matter how big or small the job is that it must be carried out by electricians who are either Part 'P' registered or that the work is tested and inspected by a Part 'P' registered company.

This scheme was introduced to ensure that recognised and professional companies carried out electrical work in domestic dwellings. Over the years there has been too many deaths and fires in domestic dwellings related to poor electrical work that hasn't been carried out professionally or even by people who are not qualified electricians. It has been known for people to get someone over the road or from the local pub to carry out an electrical job who is not qualified to do so but just know a bit about it, this is not good enough as they do not know what the are doing and it needs to stop. So Part'P' is the governments way to try.

Remember that this might be a nuisance to some people due to having to pre book electricians or having to pay that bit more for work, but it will assure you that the work has been carried out in your home the the safest standard possible and is in your best interest to reduce the cause of electrocution leading to possible death or risk of fire leading to death and losing your home.

What would you prefer?

Full Electrical test and survey & work to be carried out by Part 'P'

Cost = £280.00*

OR

Not have Part 'P' and Joe Bloggs to carry out the work with no
testing cheaply

Cost = £Serious injury, Fire or even Death.

* Price based on an average 3 bedroom 2 storey house.