How Long Is It Since Your Shop Had An Electrical Safety Check?

When was the last time you had a professional in to review and test the safety of your electrics?

If you don’t know, can’t remember OR if the answer is never… you need to do something about it…

Ignore electrical safety checks at your peril!!

We get it. You cannot see electricity. Cables are usually hidden inside your walls, the meter is tucked away, the fuse board is out of sight. And hopefully you’ll never have to look at any of them.

Out of sight, out of mind, right…

Well that may be the case. BUT…

You simply cannot forget about your electrics. It’s a fact, all electrical installations deteriorate with age and use. It follows that your shop premises need electrical safety checks to make sure installations are in a satisfactory and safe condition.

If you don’t, you could be in trouble. You have a legal obligation to comply with the Electricity at Work Act 1989. If an avoidable accident happens, as business owner you could be liable for failing to comply with regulations.

We understand. The date of your last electrical safety test can be unknown. It happens…

Shops change hands frequently. The interior is likely to be stripped back and remodelled each time. Perhaps the lighting fixtures and switches are updated when the layout is changed ready for the new shop to open.

“But the wiring and electrics… They’ll be okay. Surely.”

you say to yourself…

Well, times change. And so does the load placed on your electrical circuits. Think about it, are your ancient wiring and Bakelite fuse board able to cope with all your modern electrical equipment?

Secondly, for health and safety reasons regulations are much stricter now. If your shop or retail premises has not had a formal electrical safety check in the last 5 years there is a higher risk of an electrical fire or electrocution.

Remember. It’s not just you in the line of fire… it’s your staff and customers too!

Hang on Blake’s, my PAT testing was done last week

Sorry. PAT testing is completely different to periodic inspection and testing. PAT testing checks portable electrical appliances, such as fridges, washing machines, kettles, toasters, PCs, printers etc.
A periodic electrical inspection checks the fixed installation. Things like the wiring, switches and earth bonding, etc.

BUT… we had a new fuse box installed recently…

We hear this sort of thing a lot “we only updated our fuse box a few years ago”. Good work, BUT… What. About. The wiring?

Updating the fuse box does not fix your old, knackered wiring. It is only addressing half the issue. Old wires burn out under too much electrical load. Old wiring is dangerous.

Look, it’s simple. If it’s been over 5 years since you had an electrical safety check, you need to get one sorted out. Faulty electrics are one of the main causes of fire.

But don’t panic, Mr Mainwaring.

Instead, get the professionals in to perform a periodic inspection test. It’ll put your mind at ease. And keep you, your staff and customers safe.

Blake Contractors will be delighted to arrange your electrical safety check. You can trust us to do a proper job. We’ve been around for decades. We’re approved with CHAS and Constructionline. And as an NICEIC certified company all our work is fully insured.

But what’s this electrical condition report?

By law, shops are required to perform periodic inspection testing every 5 years. It’s also known as an electrical safety check OR fixed wire testing.

That’s where your Condition Report comes in. We identify damage, deterioration and defects and any dangerous electrics before an accident happens.

On completion of the report and any occurring work you get the paperwork to prove your electrics are compliant with British Standards and legislation. This is your Electrical Condition Report certificate.

For peace of mind, get in touch with us today to book your electrical condition report. Simply click the button below to fill out the form and we’ll be in touch shortly!

This blog post is provided for general information only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely. Call Blake Contractors on 01702 613641 to speak to one of our professionals for specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.

Although we make reasonable efforts to update the information on our site, we make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content on our site is accurate, complete or up to date.