Prevailing approaches are broken

Planning and managing electrical compliance in line with BS7671 is challenging due to the lack of correct information, the volume of data, and the need to manually handle this electrical information. In this article, Michael Joubert, BSc Mech. Eng. (Industrial), MBA, operations director at EDIS, explains why electrical compliance management ‘no longer needs to be a laborious and time-consuming task’, and how estates managers in large hospitals are successfully addressing it.

Facilities management teams across the country struggle with the important task of efficiently planning and managing electrical compliance in line with BS 7671 daily. The solution to this challenge, I would argue, is an approach that that enables as much data automation as possible. Using a ‘cloud-based’ IT system to integrate the management of electrical information, the creation of electrical certificates, and the planning of electrical compliance, leads to a virtuous cycle of improving data quality, and reduced effort in delivering the required electrical compliance. 

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR) place a legal responsibility on employers and employees, as dutyholders, to ensure that electrical systems used at work under their control are safe. This requires that all aspects of electrical compliance, including fixed wire Electrical, Inspection and Testing (EI&T), are suitably managed.