Plan to Stay Compliant
With the launch of our most recent eBook – A Guide to Electrical Compliance and Testing, the subject is a hot topic in our offices. The guide explains about the importance of planning ahead with regard to electrical testing and how the regulations have been formed to keep building managers and landlords compliant with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
In this Case Study we have chosen to look at one of our forward-thinking customers and how they plan ahead with regard to electrical testing within their retail stores.
The client
This client is just one year off celebrating its centenary and to this day remains a family owned business. From three brothers moving to Belfast to pursue their dream of selling jewellery, Beaverbrooks has come a long way from those humble beginnings.
Today they have 70 stores in the UK with a team of over 900 people. Beaverbrooks has instigated a number of initiatives over the years to support their communities and since the year 2000 have donated £9million to charity.
The company’s ethos has always been to ‘enrich lives’, not only by curating a beautiful range of jewellery and watches but also through their dedication to charity work and investment in their staff. Beaverbrooks make an excellent example to other organisations because of their ethos and also because of the importance they place on the safety and well being of their staff and customers.
The service we provide
We have worked with Beaverbrooks for over 10 years providing them with mechanical and electrical planned and reactive maintenance services, such as:
HVAC Maintenance
Mechanical Maintenance
Electrical Testing
Life Safety System Testing and Monitoring
Statutory Compliance
Roller Shutter Checks
We provide Beaverbrooks with a dedicated Account Manager who work closely with their property team, ensuring that their portfolio is well maintained and remains compliant.
As part of the planned maintenance schedule together we have produced an electrical installation testing plan which takes us to 2024. This plan is simply to conduct periodic electrical inspection on every store, every 5 years which are the recommended requirements under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
What are periodic inspections?
A periodic inspection confirms, as far as reasonably practicable, whether the electrical installation is in a satisfactory condition for service or not. The inspection should identify any condition, damage, deterioration or defect which may result in danger.
Electricity at Work Regulation 621.1 explained
Regulation 621.1 states that "where required, periodic inspection and testing of every electrical installation shall be carried out in accordance with regulations 621.2 to 621.5 in order to determine as far as reasonably practicable, whether the installation is in a satisfactory condition for continued service".
This regulation relates to electrical installations which are not newly built or altered. In this case a periodic inspection is to be carried out. Together with visual inspection it consists of a full inspection and testing procedure and is followed by the completion of the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
The Plan
Although the plan may sound simple, there is a lot of planning involved in conducting a full periodic inspection on a retail store to ensure the minimal disruption. All visits are booked in with the store and the staff are made aware of any potential disruption. The engineers work with the staff to ensure that any disruption is kept to the minimum. We will carry out a full visual inspection of the electrical installation, including an internal inspection of 10% of the accessories, supplemented by a sample 20% test of the circuits.
Our Account Manager added “It is important to ensure that premises are fully compliant to ensure the safety of the public and staff members. Working with Beaverbrooks on their planned preventative electrical testing is just one of the services we provide in ensuring their compliance remains up to date.”
What our client says
“We have a great relationship with JCW and value their dedication and diligence in ensuring our stores are safe and all of our equipment functioning correctly. Nothing is more important in our business than our customers and people. Beaverbrooks work closely with all our service providers to ensure we are fully compliant and our premises maintained to the highest possible standards.
As a responsible business, creating safe, welcoming environments is very much front of mind in our Property Team and JCW have a great track record in going above and beyond to get things done”
Property Manager | Beaverbrooks
Conclusion
Electrical testing and compliance maybe just one aspect of the service we provide to Beaverbrooks but it is no doubt one of the most important ones. In the UK, it is reported that 25 deaths occur annually due to an electrical related accident and nearly 1,000 accidents result in injury. Poor maintenance and carelessness are the main causes and a simple electrical testing programme will reduce the risk considerably. To find out more about your responsibilities with regard to electrical testing, you can download our eBook – A Guide to Electrical Compliance and Testing by clicking here.
We are delighted to continue to work closely with Beaverbrooks in maintaining their property portfolio, ensuring they remain compliant and helping keep their customers and staff safe in their stores.
For more information regarding the services we can provide to the retail industry, click here.