Under new amendments to the wiring regulations, Periodic Inspection Reports (PIRs) will now be called Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs). While the name has changed, the purpose of regularly inspecting electrical installations for safety issues remains the same. The coding system for reporting defects identified in inspections will now have a "C" prefix rather than numbers. ELECSA, a competent person scheme, urges contractors not to be concerned by rumors, as the name change aims to make the purpose of the reports clearer while the inspection process itself is largely unchanged. Senior industry representatives are working to clarify the new coding system but assure contractors that periodic inspections remain important despite changes to terminology and codes.

1. ELECSA, one of the UK’s leading competent person schemes run by electricians for electricians, is
urging contractors not to be concerned by rumours in the industry on the new reports and coding.
Under the existing arrangements for Periodic Inspection Reports (PIRs) a numbering system of one
to four indicates the seriousness of any departures. Now under amendment 1 of BS7671, the codes
used for inspection and testing reports will have a letter’ ‘C’ (for code) in front of them.
Connor Flynn, lead assessor for Elecsa, says- “It may take a long time for contractors to start
referring to the inspections by their new name, but for the outside world it can easily be argued that
the wording is less ambiguous and more user-friendly”.
Periodic Inspection Reports may now have a new title, but ELECSA is arguing that it is far from
RIP for PIRs despite delays to industry advice on the definitive coding that should be used.
Amendment 1 of the 17th Edition Wiring Regulations came into force on 1st July 2011 which has
renamed Periodic Inspection Reports (PIRs) to Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs).
PIRs have long been the means to regularly check electrical installations for defective wiring,
accessories or poor workmanship that does not comply with the standards and could impair safety.
The rationale behind changing the name to Electrical Installation Condition Reports is because it
‘does what it says on the tin’ by describing the series of inspections and tests carried out on existing
electrical installations to establish their condition and confirm if they meet safety standards for
continued use. These reports are also used by places of work to demonstrate compliance with the
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. The types of properties that typically fall within the EICR
guidelines are properties owned by local authorities, private landlords or housing associations as
well as commercial and industrial properties.
The typical guidelines on intervals between EICRs in a domestic property are on change of
occupancy or every ten years. For a commercial business it should be every five years, three years
for caravans and every year for swimming pools. EICRs should be carried out by competent
electrical contractors who have experience of the installation under inspection. The extent of the
inspection and testing must be agreed with the person ordering the work, and any agreed limitations
noted on the report given to the person ordering the work.Senior industry representatives are
looking at numerous examples of departures and their appropriate codes and this guidance will be
issued shortly.
www.electrician2hire.co.uk