PIR codes

[confused-fuse]

PIR Recomendation codes sheet worth printing out and sticking in your T&I kit

 

[Guest123]

mmmmm.....not sure I agree with some of those.....

Be interesting to see what others think.

 

[confused-fuse]

well its the one thay dish out at collage with all the other crap thay give you as well ..

 

[Guest123]

I see.

Just one tutors take on the regs/codes then.

Handy as reference none the less.

 

[confused-fuse]

two collages same tutor in week .. sat tutor is someone else who gives out alot of sheets and other useful info the weekly chap is not very helpful just wants everyone to look on net and find the answers..

 

[Sintra]

Some strange recommendation codes on that list.

 

[KNIPEX]

tend to agree,

A CODE 2 For labels which are not attached to the db i think is very harsh, there is no way i would fail an installation because of this, i would put that down as a code 4.

however a good reference guide as you said

 

[confused-fuse]

if anyone wants to add to list i will redo it and give back to tutor lol

 

[Tester Steve]

Have a look at this.

Steve.

 

[Sintra]

Have to agree with Steve that's the one i would go by more.

 

[elecducation]

I would use the Safety council codes at the moment but attachement added showes proposed new PIR form now EICR from BSI website BS7671 proposed Amendment 1 now only 3 codes not 4

 

[D80]

Quite like the look of the possible new codes. Was doing remedial work from a PIR a few weeks back and the spark that did it had no schedule of circuits as a code 1

Code 3 on the new report is a bit open though.

 

[confused-fuse]

looks like after night in open office making a new form or 3 ;-)

 

[RexT]

Hi confused-fuse,

I have a word document on codes which I hope may help a bit, cant find a way of attaching it and have to do in in two parts(?) due to word length, sorry...so here as follows:

Understanding Codes in Periodic Inspection Reports.

Each observation in a Periodic Inspection Report must be given an appropriate recommendation Code 1,2,3 or 4 as summarised in the following table.

Code Meaning

1 Requires urgent attention
2 Requires improvement
3 Requires further investigation
4 Does not comply with BS7671 (as amended); this does not imply that the electrical installation is unsafe

Where a real and immediate danger is observed, recommendation Code 1 must be used.

Where one or more observations are given as Code 1 or 2, the overall assessment of the installation should be stated to be UNSATISFACTORY in the Periodic Inspection Report.

Code 1 – Indicates that the observed deficiency requires urgent remedial action to bring the standard up to a level that complies with BS7671.

Examples:-

1. Exposed live parts that are accessible to touch, such as where:
a. A fuse carrier or circuit breaker omitted from a consumer unit and a blanking piece is not fitted in its place.
b. Terminations or connections have no (or damaged) barriers or enclosures, such as those belonging to a consumer unit.
c. An accessory is damaged.
d. Live conductors have no (or damaged) insulation.

2. Conductive parts that have become live as the result of a fault

3. Absence of an effective means of earthing for the installation.

4. The main RCD or voltage-operated earth-leakage circuit-breaker on a TT system fails to operate when tested with an instrument or integral test button.

5. Evidence of excessive heat (such as charring) from electrical equipment causing damage to the installation or its surroundings.

6. Incorrect polarity, or protective device in neutral conductor only.

7. Circuits with ineffective overcurrent protection (due, for example, to oversized fuse wire in rewireable fuses).

8. Absence of RCD protection for socket-outlets in bathrooms or shower rooms other than SELV or shaver socket-outlets.

9. Socket-outlets other than SELV or shaver socket-outlets located within 0.6 metres horizontally from the boundary of zone 1 in a location containing a bath or a shower.

10. Absence of earthing at a socket-outlet.

Code 2 (Require Improvement) – Indicates that the observed deficiency requires action to remove potential danger, as soon as possible to bring the standard up to a level that complies with BS7671.

Examples:-

1. a 30/32 A ring final circuit discontinuous or cross connected with another circuit.

2. A public utility water pipe used as the means of earthing for the installation.

3. A gas or oil pipe being used as the means of earthing for the installation.

4. Absence of circuit protective conductors for a lighting circuit supplying one or more items of class 1 equipment.

5. Absence of main equipotential bonding (except to a lighting protection system conductor, where a recommendation code 3 may be appropriate).

6. Absence of fault protection by RCD (protection against indirect contact / fault protection) where required, such as for a socket-outlet circuit in an installation forming part of a TT system.

7. A ‘borrowed neutral’, for example where a single final circuit neutral is shared by two final circuits (such as an upstairs lighting circuit and a separately protected downstairs lighting circuit).

8. Absence of a warning notice indicating the presence of a second source of electricity, such as a micro-generator.

9. Fire risk from incorrectly installed electrical equipment including incorrectly installed recessed down-lighters.

10. Undersized main bonding conductors, where the conductor is less than 6mm² or where there is evidence of thermal damage.

11. Unenclosed connections at luminaires not enclosed (such a defect can contribute to a fire, particularly where extra-low voltage filament lamps are used).
12. Immersion heater does not comply with BS EN 60335-2-73 (that is, does not have a built in cut-out that will operate if the stored water temperature reaches 98º C if the thermostat fails), and the cold water storage tank is plastic.

13 Unsatisfactory functional operation of equipment where this may result in danger.

14 Socket-outlets other than SELV or shaver socket-outlets located between 0.6 metres and 3 metres horizontally from the boundary of zone 1 in a location containing a bath or shower.

15 Absence of RCD protection for portable or mobile equipment that may reasonably be expected to be used outdoors.

16 Earth fault loop impedance value greater than that required for operation of the protective device within the time prescribed in the version of BS 7671 / IEE Wiring Regulations current at the time of installation.

17 Insulation of live conductors deteriorated to such an extent that the insulating material readily breaks away from the conductors.

18 Neither local supplementary bonding (where necessary) nor RCD protection is present in a bathroom or shower room. Note: where the presence of supplementary bonding cannot be confirmed by inspection, it may be verified by a continuity test.

19 Anyone circuit has an insulation resistance of less than 20 kilo ohms.

Hope this is of some help,

Best wishes

Rex

 

[RexT]

Hi confused-fuse,
second bit...


Code 3 (Requires further investigation) – Indicates that usually the inspector was unable to come to a conclusion about this aspect of the installation or the observation was outside the agreed purpose.

Examples:-

1 Unable to trace final circuits

2 Unable to access equipment or connections needing to be inspected that are known to exist but have been boxed in such as by panels or boards that cannot be easily removed without causing damage to decorations.

3 Insulation resistance of less than 1 mega ohms between live conductors connected together and earth, when measured at the consumer unit with all final circuits connected. If any one circuit has an insulation resistance of less than 20 kilo ohms, a code 2 recommendation should be given.

4. Absence of a main equipotential bonding connection to a lighting protection system conductor, where it is not known by the inspector if it is required to protect against lightening side flashes. (Absence of other main equipotential bonding connections would usually warrant a code 2).

Code 4 (Does not comply with BS 7671 as amended)

Examples:-

1. Switch lines not identified as line conductors at terminations (for example, a conductor having blue insulation is not sleeved brown in switches or lighting points).

2. Circuit protective conductors or final circuit conductors in a consumer unit not arranged or marked so that they can be identified for inspection, testing or alteration of the installation.

3. Undersized main bonding conductors (subject to a minimum size of 6mm²), if there is no evidence of thermal damage.

4 Absence of circuit protective conductors in circuits having only Class II (or all insulated) luminaires and switches.

5 Protective conductor of a lighting circuit not (or incorrectly) terminated at the final circuit connection point to a class II (or insulated) item of equipment, such as at a switch mounting box or luminaire.

6 Absence of ‘Safety Electrical Connection – Do Not Remove’ notice.

7 Absence of a notice indicating that the installation has a wiring colours to two versions of BS 7671.

8 Absence of RCD periodic test notice

9 Absence of circuit identification details

10 Sheath of an insulated and sheathed non-armoured cable not taken inside the enclosure of an accessory, such as at a socket-outlet or lighting switch.

11. Bare protective conductor of an insulated and sheathed cable not sleeved with insulation, colour coded to indicate its function.

12 Installation not divided into an accurate number of circuits to minimise inconvenience for safe operation, fault clearance, inspection, testing and maintenance.

13 Fixed equipment does not have a means of switching off for mechanical maintenance, where such maintenance involves a risk of burns or injury from mechanical movement

14 Absence of supplementary bonding to installed Class II equipment where required (such as in a bathroom or shower room, in case the equipment is replaced with Class I equipment in the future).

15 Reliance on a voltage-operated earth-leakage circuit-breaker for fault protection (protection against indirect contact – fault protection).

16 Absence of RCD protection for cables installed at a depth of less than 50 mm from a surface of a wall or partition where the cables do not incorporate an earthed metallic covering, are not enclosed in earthed metalwork, or are not mechanically protected against penetration by nails and the like.

17 Absence of RCD protection for cables concealed, at whatever depth, in a wall or partition the internal construction of which includes metallic parts (other than metallic fixings such as nails, screws and the like) where the cables do not incorporate an earthed metallic covering are not enclosed in earthed metalwork, or are not mechanically protected to avoid damage to them during construction of the wall or during their installation.

18 Absence of RCD protection for socket-outlet circuits that are unlikely to supply portable equipment for use outdoors, or that are in a bathroom.

19 Absence of supplementary bonding where required, such as in a bathroom or shower room, where all the following three conditions are not satisfied:

a all final circuits of the location comply with the requirements for automatic disconnection, and

b all final circuits of the location have additional protection by means of a 30 mA RCD, and

c all extraneous-conductive-parts of the location are effectively connected to the protective equipotential bonding (main earthing terminal).


Source: NICEIC Domestic Periodic Inspection, Testing and Rep