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Periodic Inspection Reports (PIR's) & Visual Inspection Reports. |
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It should be noted that some Electrical Contractors are now providing "Visual Inspection Reports" which are exactly that, a visual inspection. Graham Electricals Limited do not provide this type of report as they provide no validity of the Electrical Installation and should not be relied upon as they are a cheap form of inspection. When do I need a PIR? A Periodic Inspection Report is required for all electrical installations, depending upon usage, at set intervals, at a change of occupancy or for insurance purposes. This however does not preclude other reasons for a PIR. What is a PIR for? The PIR is designed to provide the occupier/owner with information about the current state of the electrical installation. Is the PIR a safety certificate? The PIR is not intended to be a safety certificate but a certificate of the current state of the electrical installation. It will provide information as to what is or is not satisfactory. My insurance company has requested the PIR. What information should I provide to the Inspector? It will be necessary to provide the Inspector with details of any limitations that the insurance company has placed on the testing of the installation. These may be limitations including areas covered by the test or specific items covered by the test. It may be advisable to ask your insurance company about the limitations on testing. Does the PIR cover testing of appliances? The PIR is intended for the testing of the electrical installation only and does not cover testing of appliances. What if the PIR is unsatisfactory? Although a PIR may be classified as unsatisfactory it does not mean that the electrical installation is unsafe. There are various reasons why the PIR could be unsatisfactory and clarification will be made available to you at the time of inspection. If you require written confirmation of this it can also be provided to you. If the PIR is unsatisfactory what should I do about it? The PIR defines in the "Observations and Recommendations" what should be done about unsatisfactory results. It does not however define when this should take place. More clarification will be provided to you at the time of the inspection. If you require written confirmation of this it can also be provided to you. What risks are there during a PIR? Some of the testing involves possible risk to people or livestock. These risks however are identifiable and you shall be advised accordingly about the risks. If you require written confirmation of this it can also be provided to you. We require a PIR as we have had a water leak what should we do? If you have had a water leak and it has affected electrical equipment then the safest course of action is to switch off the electrical supply to the affected equipment as soon as possible. Do not use the affected equipment until it has been checked by a competent person. Other issues surrounding water leaks into electrical equipment and the building fabric should be noted. If the internal walls of the building are wet then there is the possibility of them conducting electrical current which could be of risk to people and livestock. If in doubt, turn off the electricity supply. We had a full PIR completed a few years ago. Will we need a full PIR again? Not necessarily. If the paperwork relating to the PIR is available then it may be possible to have just a partial PIR on a percentage of the electrical installation. This will be determined by the Inspector at the time of the PIR and on agreement with you the client. What other information does the Inspector need? If you have drawings, plans, test certificates, schedules or other paperwork relating to the electrical installation, then this will help the Inspector with testing of the installation. If none of this is available then a full PIR would be necessary. If you have any further questions or comments please enquire with the Inspector at the time of the inspection. This list is not exhaustive and may be subject to change. |
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