A periodic inspection report (PIR) ???
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As the name suggests an inspection of visable items in the installation and a comparison to what is permitted with current regulations.
Also some tests and the readings are also compared to current regulations.
I report is written on a standard form and where the installation does not comply the non compliance is given one of four numbers.
1. means dangerous and needs immediate attention.
2. means although dangerous some second fault would need to happen before it will injure some one but of course it still needs correcting. Normally some advice would be given.
3. Means it can't be tested. For example size of incoming fuse is sealed so not tested.
4. Means at some time in the past this would have been accepted but it is no longer allowed and it is a warning that any alterations may mean this will need changing at the same time. For example adding a new ring may need the consumer unit changing as there is no RCD protection.
Of course the tester can't see wires inside walls and there can be undetected faults but it should highlight most of the faults.
However much depends on who and why and sorry to say some firms have PIR's just to satisfy the insurance and the electrician knows he will find same faults as last year and it is just going through the system and nothing will happen yet again. As a result they tend not to detail all the faults but just note them as they know it will be just the same next year. On the odd time some one does decide to act then often there is not enough information.
Also some tests and the readings are also compared to current regulations.
I report is written on a standard form and where the installation does not comply the non compliance is given one of four numbers.
1. means dangerous and needs immediate attention.
2. means although dangerous some second fault would need to happen before it will injure some one but of course it still needs correcting. Normally some advice would be given.
3. Means it can't be tested. For example size of incoming fuse is sealed so not tested.
4. Means at some time in the past this would have been accepted but it is no longer allowed and it is a warning that any alterations may mean this will need changing at the same time. For example adding a new ring may need the consumer unit changing as there is no RCD protection.
Of course the tester can't see wires inside walls and there can be undetected faults but it should highlight most of the faults.
However much depends on who and why and sorry to say some firms have PIR's just to satisfy the insurance and the electrician knows he will find same faults as last year and it is just going through the system and nothing will happen yet again. As a result they tend not to detail all the faults but just note them as they know it will be just the same next year. On the odd time some one does decide to act then often there is not enough information.
although this could all change in the next year or so
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The forms in PDF format can be down loaded here and there is some instruction with them.
The big thing is anyone doing a PIR is giving a professional opinion and often normal public liberality insurance will not cover and they need professional indemnity insurance. I don't know of a case where an electrician has been taken to court after completing a PIR but I have seen PIR's completed with a lot to be desired. In the main the selecting of code 1 or code 2 and many items that following the rules should be code 2 and given code 1. There is also the code 4 which if we look at the first edition near every fault could be given a code 4 as it did comply with that basic document and really one should only go back one book so anything not in the BS7671:2001 but in BS7671:2008 would get code 4 but earlier than BS7671:2001 would be code 2.
However the guidance given by the Electrical safety council as to coding is not worded that way. However see here it is "Does not comply with current Edition of BS7671" so even for items like no earth on a lighting circuit an electrician could consider as not required pre-1966 this could be code 4. Unlikely but it does mean the code system is not much good.
The description is far more important and one should really go through the report with the electrician to clarify any points. However with large firms the electrician enters details on his PDA and they are sent to main office for typing and are posted out to client who may not be the occupant of the building and by time anyone queries any points the electrician has completed another 30 PIR's and can't really remember the details so the repair electrician has to work it out for himself.
Hence next year same fault found and maintenance electrician has repaired a completely different fault.
Of course not giving good details helps the PIR electrician as if something goes wrong he can say it was that fault he had identified even when it was in fact something completely different. I have never completed a PIR giving a clean bill of health. There is always something found.
The idea of not showing the previous PIR to new guy does not work either as to begin with it is a requirement so the new guy can assess any deterioration and second no one is perfect and it is expected that there will be different opinions. Hence type of insurance.
Having said that most faults found are cut and dried and lack of an earth cable to broken socket is normally going to be reported in same way with most electricians. But it is his opinion and one electrician may code it as 1 and another as 2 and neither is wrong.
The big thing is anyone doing a PIR is giving a professional opinion and often normal public liberality insurance will not cover and they need professional indemnity insurance. I don't know of a case where an electrician has been taken to court after completing a PIR but I have seen PIR's completed with a lot to be desired. In the main the selecting of code 1 or code 2 and many items that following the rules should be code 2 and given code 1. There is also the code 4 which if we look at the first edition near every fault could be given a code 4 as it did comply with that basic document and really one should only go back one book so anything not in the BS7671:2001 but in BS7671:2008 would get code 4 but earlier than BS7671:2001 would be code 2.
However the guidance given by the Electrical safety council as to coding is not worded that way. However see here it is "Does not comply with current Edition of BS7671" so even for items like no earth on a lighting circuit an electrician could consider as not required pre-1966 this could be code 4. Unlikely but it does mean the code system is not much good.
The description is far more important and one should really go through the report with the electrician to clarify any points. However with large firms the electrician enters details on his PDA and they are sent to main office for typing and are posted out to client who may not be the occupant of the building and by time anyone queries any points the electrician has completed another 30 PIR's and can't really remember the details so the repair electrician has to work it out for himself.
Hence next year same fault found and maintenance electrician has repaired a completely different fault.
Of course not giving good details helps the PIR electrician as if something goes wrong he can say it was that fault he had identified even when it was in fact something completely different. I have never completed a PIR giving a clean bill of health. There is always something found.
The idea of not showing the previous PIR to new guy does not work either as to begin with it is a requirement so the new guy can assess any deterioration and second no one is perfect and it is expected that there will be different opinions. Hence type of insurance.
Having said that most faults found are cut and dried and lack of an earth cable to broken socket is normally going to be reported in same way with most electricians. But it is his opinion and one electrician may code it as 1 and another as 2 and neither is wrong.
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