In addition to my response above about what checks are due with the data from table 3.1, my IET Guidance note 3 also indicates in table 3.2 - 'recommended initial frequencies of inspection of electrical installations'  that in almost every case the recommended initial frequency of the routine check is annually.  Those not listed as annually are educational establishments (6 monthly), medical areas of hospital areas (6 monthly), caravan parks (6 monthly), highways (as convenient), marinas, fish farms and swimming pools (4 monthly), launderettes (monthly), petrol filling stations (yearly, interestingly the same recommended initial frequency as inspection and testing), and construction sites (3 monthly, again the same recommended frequency as inspection and testing).   There are two other cases listed, firstly for emergency lighting at daily and monthly periods, which I assume are to coincide with the BS5266 requirements to check power LED's are illuminated etc and a monthly operational test etc is carried out.  For fire alarms it suggests daily and weekly which coincides with BS 5839's requirement for various checks including panel lights and weekly call point testing.

Whether that frequency for routine checks should be changed from what's in that table is an interesting one.  Certainly the frequency of inspection and testing should be reviewed at every inspection and testing but I've not personally put a lot of thought into varying the frequency of routine checks before.   What I can say is that in over 30 years of working as facilities / maintenance manager I never encountered a formal installation designer recommending an initial frequency.  Nor any recommendation of a CDM Principle Designer but I'll not write more on the latter at this time.

In my last job we had mainly commercial buildings across the country and in my area of responsibility a number were in poor condition with lots of damp issues and little business interest in addressing that.  And a number had rats or other vermin. I had a small number where due to the very poor condition of the buildings, inspection and testing was actually carried out annually.  We also had a few holiday let properties spread across the country which were well maintained, though only one in my area of work.  I brought up the electrical maintenance subject amongst colleagues as we had no internal standard or guidance for holiday lets.  My suggestion was, that we should ideally adopt a common initial frequency of inspection and testing for those well maintained holiday lets as that building type (holiday let) is not listed in table 3.2 of Guidance note 3. They're buildings which can have a change of occupier every week so are hardly the same as a rented house or flat which requires, at least initially, an inspection and test at changeover of occupier or 10 years.  Getting back to the point of routine checks, I also tentatively suggested that the holiday let changeover manager /; cleaner could have a role in routine checks if they were given some basic training.  They're in the property every week or fortnight and much of the items listed in table 3.1 could potentially be carried out by someone of their skill level.  Backed up once per annum by someone of greater skill or competence.   Their input would be helpful in overall safety management, as an addition rather than instead of. I'd at least hoped to have a discussion with colleagues on this but by the time I'd left the organisation no progress had been made.

Paul

In addition to my response above about what checks are due with the data from table 3.1, my IET Guidance note 3 also indicates in table 3.2 - 'recommended initial frequencies of inspection of electrical installations'  that in almost every case the recommended initial frequency of the routine check is annually.  Those not listed as annually are educational establishments (6 monthly), medical areas of hospital areas (6 monthly), caravan parks (6 monthly), highways (as convenient), marinas, fish farms and swimming pools (4 monthly), launderettes (monthly), petrol filling stations (yearly, interestingly the same recommended initial frequency as inspection and testing), and construction sites (3 monthly, again the same recommended frequency as inspection and testing).   There are two other cases listed, firstly for emergency lighting at daily and monthly periods, which I assume are to coincide with the BS5266 requirements to check power LED's are illuminated etc and a monthly operational test etc is carried out.  For fire alarms it suggests daily and weekly which coincides with BS 5839's requirement for various checks including panel lights and weekly call point testing.

Whether that frequency for routine checks should be changed from what's in that table is an interesting one.  Certainly the frequency of inspection and testing should be reviewed at every inspection and testing but I've not personally put a lot of thought into varying the frequency of routine checks before.   What I can say is that in over 30 years of working as facilities / maintenance manager I never encountered a formal installation designer recommending an initial frequency.  Nor any recommendation of a CDM Principle Designer but I'll not write more on the latter at this time.

In my last job we had mainly commercial buildings across the country and in my area of responsibility a number were in poor condition with lots of damp issues and little business interest in addressing that.  And a number had rats or other vermin. I had a small number where due to the very poor condition of the buildings, inspection and testing was actually carried out annually.  We also had a few holiday let properties spread across the country which were well maintained, though only one in my area of work.  I brought up the electrical maintenance subject amongst colleagues as we had no internal standard or guidance for holiday lets.  My suggestion was, that we should ideally adopt a common initial frequency of inspection and testing for those well maintained holiday lets as that building type (holiday let) is not listed in table 3.2 of Guidance note 3. They're buildings which can have a change of occupier every week so are hardly the same as a rented house or flat which requires, at least initially, an inspection and test at changeover of occupier or 10 years.  Getting back to the point of routine checks, I also tentatively suggested that the holiday let changeover manager /; cleaner could have a role in routine checks if they were given some basic training.  They're in the property every week or fortnight and much of the items listed in table 3.1 could potentially be carried out by someone of their skill level.  Backed up once per annum by someone of greater skill or competence.   Their input would be helpful in overall safety management, as an addition rather than instead of. I'd at least hoped to have a discussion with colleagues on this but by the time I'd left the organisation no progress had been made.

Paul