Electrical Installation Condition Report or EICR has previously been known as Periodic Electrical Testing, Fixed Wire Testing, Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) and is the Electrical Inspection and Test of a Buildings Electrical Wiring. To ensure the safety of the building users it is imperative that every Electrical Installation is Periodically Inspected and Tested as recommended by BS7671 and required by The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. The Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) compares the Electrical Installation within a building to the requirements of the British Standard that all Electrical Installations within the UK should meet namely BS7671. Where an installation is found to be non-compliant with the standard a deviation is recorded and categorised as;

• C1 – Danger present, Risk of injury – Immediate remedial action required
• C2 – Potentially dangerous – urgent remedial action required
• C3 – Improvement recommended
• FI – Further investigation required

Emergency Lighting Inspection and Testing carried out in compliance with BS7671 ensures that the Emergency Lighting Systems within your premises will operate correctly should they be needed in an emergency. The purpose of the Emergency Lighting Installation is to aid the safe evacuation of premises in the event of failure of the normal lighting systems.

• The suggested Schedule of Testing for Emergency Lighting is;
• Daily Emergency Lighting Test – Check for operation. A simple walk around and visual check for illuminated neon indicator lamps.
• Monthly Emergency Lighting Test – Functionality test not exceeding 25% of rated duration. A basic switch off, check lamps illuminate, switch back on.
• Six Monthly Emergency Lighting Test – Test of at least one hour for a three-hour rated system
• Annual Emergency Lighting Test – Full Duration Discharge Test

Emergency Lighting Test Certificate – Should be produced at the Annual Emergency Lighting Full Discharge Test. We recommend and use the NICEIC Emergency Lighting Test Certificate

What are Emergency Lights?

Emergency lighting is primarily used to help people escape from a building in the event of fire or other emergencies. It can also be used to illuminate safety equipment. Emergency lights are essential in office or apartment blocks or any other buildings in which a loss of normal lighting would significantly hinder escape. Every Building owner should possess an emergency lighting certificate.

Single ‘stand-alone’ escape lighting units may be sufficient in small premises and these can sometimes be combined with exit or directional signs. In larger more complex premises a more comprehensive system of fixed automatic escape lighting is likely to be needed. This will be particularly true in premises with extensive basements or where there are significant numbers of staff or members of the public. 

An emergency escape lighting system should normally cover the following:

• each exit door
• escape routes
• intersections of corridors
• outside each final exit and on external escape routes
• emergency escape signs
• stairways so that each flight receives adequate light
• changes in floor level
• windowless rooms and toilet accommodation exceeding eight square meters
• fire-fighting equipment
• fire alarm call points
• equipment that would need to be shut down in an emergency
• lifts
• areas in premises greater than 60 square meters