Following the Governments recent announcement regarding the Coronavirus lockdown, the construction and manufacturing industry are encouraged to start operating again as long as they can provide and maintain social distancing and good hygiene.

Some of our clients have been in touch with us ahead of them returning to their workplace to make sure their building is ready for their return so whether that be relamping, carrying out remedial works following recent electrical testing or making sure they are still compliant with their buildings safety testing.

Where to start? – One area we really want clients to think about prior to their return, whether thats as soon as this week or in the coming months, is their emergency lighting.

If your emergency lighting hasn’t been tested recently then it should be before the premises reopens and staff return to an operational building. This then ensures the batteries are charged and all the emergency luminaries are going to work in an emergency as they will be how your staff will be able to evacuate safely from the building.

It’s important to remember that emergency lighting in a building also assists the emergency services such as The Fire Brigade to enter, carry out their important work and leave the building safely also.

Emergency Lighting Testing  – We are still able to go in and test your emergency lighting in your business premises even if you are not there as it is classed as essential maintenance. We just need access to be given and social distancing to be adhered to for the sake of our electricians and any staff that may be on site.

How can we help? – If you want to discuss if your building is ready prior to returning then why not get in touch with us. We can assist any businesses in St. Albans and surrounding areas not just the manufacturing and Construction industry, so please let us know if we can be of any assistance.

For now we hope everyone continues to stay safe!

In recent news, the Housing Minister has agreed to tighten up electrical safety rules in rental accommodation. These extra measures will provide greater protection to the tenants, but also to the Landlords.

Landlords have an obligation to ensure their rental accommodation is meeting electrical safety standards. The British Standards recommend that Landlords have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) every 5 years OR at the change of tenancy. However up until now there has been no legal requirement to ensure that the inspectors they use for the EICRs have specific qualifications or a certain level of competence. Therefore, the Housing Ministers will also now be publishing guidance which highlights the minimum level of qualifications and competence required of the inspectors. This provides extra reassurance to both the Landlord and Tenants.

What is involved in an EICR?

An EICR involves a skilled person carrying out inspection and testing to ensure the installation is of a satisfactory condition. The process is mainly a visual inspection to ensure there are no exposed wires, damaged sockets etc. Electrical tests will also be carried out to confirm disconnection times in the event of an electric shock.  The main purpose of an EICR is to test the internal wiring of a building. The inspection should highlight any defects which could potentially cause a fire or affect the safety of persons.

At Fulcher Edwards we take pride in always providing a high standard of electrical safety. This is why each year we undergo rigorous audits to meet NICEIC, SafeContractor, and BAFE accreditations. However not all Electricians put the same level of importance on electrical safety and standards. Therefore these extra measures will provide assurance to the tenants that their home is safe, but also their will be a material improvement to the Landlords property. Failing to comply with these new measures will result in financial penalties for the Landlords.

If you are a Landlord or Tenant and would like to have an EICR carried out on your property. Please do not hesitate to contact us HERE.