What Is Electrical Testing?

The main reason electrical testing is performed is to ensure that the property or workspace is safe from electrical hazards. This is because electrical appliances which are faulty or damaged or poor electrical installations can be extremely dangerous. 

Electrical Risks

The main concerns which come with electrical problems are:

• Electrical Shocks – receiving an electrical shock can cause serious injuries or can be fatal. Both direct and direct contact can cause serious issues, appliances need to be inspected for these
• Fire Safety – electrical fires are a common cause for house and work fires. It is essential that systems are checked regularly if they are high in voltage and for other issues
• Toxic Gases – there is a chance that broken wires and other systems breaking can cause toxic gases to form

More Benefits or Needs

There are also some other needs and benefits which come with electrical testing:

• Save Money – the potential of future issues can be prevented if they are looked at early. This means that expensive repairs and installations will no need to happen
• Safety – as mentioned, testing and inspecting will keep a peace of mind knowing that the property has no electrical dangers
• System Efficiency – with the system staying healthy for longer periods of time it will last longer. Faults and other issues are ignored and the electrical system will perform at its best for longer
• Limit Malfunctions – electrical issues can affect data on computers and other electrical appliances can be ruined from faults. This is where testing and inspection is extremely useful, especially for buildings where there are many data systems or computers.   
• Electrical Standards – with appliances and electrical systems being healthy then they will align with standards

The qualified electrician will perform a number of steps and tasks to ensure that all systems are correctly inspected. The following is a general process which ensures that all systems, equipment and appliances are correctly inspected and tested. 

Identifying all the Hazards

Firstly, identifying which systems and appliances might have an electrical hazard is inspected. All systems are checked and the ones which have issues are noted for further investigation. Observing, performing small tests and communicating with those who live or work in the building help with identify problems. The electrician will inspect each equipment, which usually includes:

• Electrical equipment which is connected to an outlet
• The types of electrical equipment that are more likely to become damaged from certain factors. This can include equipment which the weather, temperature, corrosion, dust or mechanical issues and more, might influence negatively  
• The overall electrical system, how electricity is supplied and moved around the property
• Newly installed systems ensuring they have been correctly installed
• Areas where voltage is high and the atmosphere is not suitable for electrical equipment
• Older electrical equipment, systems and installations
• Areas where electrical protection is poor and places where electrical equipment is closeby

Assessing the Potential Risks

If there have been any issues identified then assessing how serious they need to happen. The electrical safety testing risk assessment in brief follows:

• How severe is the issue or risk, such as can it cause a fire
• Will hazards happen at any time or is it a rare chance
• How many people will be affected by the problem 
• Does the hazard need to be urgently resolved
• What tasks or steps can be done to control the dilemma

Controlling and Handling the Problems

When the risks have been both identified and need to be resolved then controlling them is needed. There are many tasks which an electrician will perform to control these risks. However, here is a general overview of the process which electricians follow:

• Hierarchy – determining which steps are the most important will happen. The tasks will be listed to see which ones are more urgent that need completing than others
• Substituting Risks – substituting or replacing the risks with other systems may occur. This is to have the potential of hazards be decreased, such as applying a lower voltage battery system
• Isolating Problems – when possible, moving the electrical system or appliance away from people will occur. 
• Special Engineering – some systems or equipment might be installed to better control hazards. This can be increasing the insulation resistance, installing RCD testing switches and more important measures

For more information on what RCD Switches are, read our blog for a deeper insight. 

Recording and Maintaining the Risks

A record of the process and overall testing will be kept until the next testing is performed. This is so that the electrician and other authorities will understand what tasks and measures were used. The record of the electrical testing will include:

• The fully qualified electrician who performed the test
• When the test was carried out
• What the outcomes or results of the test were
• The date of when the nest testing will be performed