Health and Safety
7%of exam
Requirements for Inspecting and Testing
21%of exam
Safe Inspection
20%of exam
Safe Testing
52%of exam
Quick Facts
- Awards
- 3 related Level 3 EAL awards
- 600/4337/4
- 55 Qs, 90 min, pass 62%
- 603/2625/6
- 60 Qs, 120 min, pass 61.5%
- 600/4338/6
- Bridging 35Q + QCR/001 exam
- Format
- Open book, MCQ, GN3 only
- Standard
- BS 7671 A4:2026, current edition
- GN3 edition
- 10th edition, since 15 Apr
- Min age
- 16 for 4337/4, 18 others
- Fees
- £47, £50, £89 EAL only
Safe Isolation Sequence
Isolate, lock off, prove, test dead, prove again
Isolate: switch off circuitLock off: retain key or fuseProve: tester on live sourceTest: confirm circuit deadProve again: tester still works
Statutory & Standards
- EAWR 1989
- Statutory legal duty
- Reg 4 EAWR
- Prevent danger, reasonably practicable
- BS 7671
- Non-statutory wiring standard
- A4:2026
- Current edition, published 15 Apr
- A2/A3
- Withdrawn 15 Oct 2026
- Orange Book
- Nickname for A4:2026
- IET GN3
- Only listed exam reference
- HSG85
- HSE safe isolation guidance
Safe Isolation
- Prove-test-prove
- Check indicator before and after
- Proving unit
- Battery device simulates live supply
- Lock off
- Retain key, not just switch
- Caution notice
- Warns, doesn't secure alone
- Fuse removal
- Alternative to locking device off
- GS38 probe
- Test lamp or two-pole tester
EIC vs EICR
EIC
- New work only
- Certifies BS 7671 compliance
- No classification codes
EICR
- Existing installation only
- Assesses condition safety
- Uses C1/C2/C3/FI codes
New work vs existing condition
Certificate Picker
- New circuit added→EIC(Full new-work certificate)
- No new circuit added→MEIWC(Minor works only)
- Existing installation condition check→EICR(Condition report only)
- Consumer unit replaced→EIC(New CU triggers EIC)
- Socket added to circuit→MEIWC(Alteration, no new circuit)
- Rented property inspection due→EICR(5-year legal maximum)
Certification Documents
- EIC
- Certifies new work only
- MEIWC
- Minor works, no new circuit
- EICR
- Condition report, existing installation
- Schedule of Inspections
- Visual, physical checks recorded
- Schedule of Test Results
- Measured values per circuit
- Signatories
- Design, construction, inspect and test
- Departures
- Recorded intended deviations from BS7671
EICR Scope & Notices
- Extent
- Parts of installation covered
- Limitations
- Excluded items, reasons, agreed with
- Reg 514.12.1
- Next inspection date notice
- Reg 514.12.2
- RCD six-monthly test notice
- PRS interval
- 5 years max, rented homes
- GN3 intervals
- Guidance only, inspector adjusts
EICR Code Meanings
C1 danger, C2 urgent, C3 improve, FI investigate
C1: immediate danger presentC2: potentially dangerous, urgentC3: improvement recommended, safeFI: further investigation advised
C1 vs C2
C1
- Danger present now
- Immediate remedial action
- e.g. exposed live parts
C2
- Potentially dangerous fault
- Urgent remedial action
- e.g. no effective earthing
Immediate vs urgent action
EICR Code Picker
- Exposed live conductor found→C1(Danger present now)
- No effective earthing found→C2(Potentially dangerous fault)
- Non-dangerous shortfall found→C3(Improvement recommended only)
- Suspected but unconfirmed fault→FI(Further investigation advised)
- Only C1 or C2 present→Unsatisfactory(Overall EICR outcome)
- Only C3 or FI present→Satisfactory(Overall EICR outcome)
Safe Inspection Checks
- Reg 642.1
- Inspection precedes testing, disconnected
- IPXXB/IP2X
- General live-parts protection
- IPXXD/IP4X
- Top surface, higher protection
- Cable <50mm deep
- Safe zone plus 30mA RCD
- Reg 522.6.202
- Concealed cable protection rule
- Reg 421.1.7
- AFDD mandatory, 4 premises types
- 514.13.1 label
- Do Not Remove, earth connection
C3 vs FI
C3
- Non-dangerous shortfall
- Improvement recommended only
- Never makes report unsatisfactory
FI
- Suspected unconfirmed problem
- Further investigation advised
- Also never unsatisfactory alone
Confirmed defect vs unconfirmed suspicion
EICR Classification Coding
- C1
- Danger present, act immediately
- C2
- Potentially dangerous, urgent action
- C3
- Improvement recommended, not dangerous
- FI
- Further investigation advised
- Unsatisfactory
- Only C1 or C2 trigger
- A4 change
- FI dropped 'without delay' wording
Dead Test Order
Continuity -> Ring -> Insulation -> Polarity
Continuity: CPC and bondingRing: r1/rn/r2 checksInsulation: before polarity checkGN3 sets this order
R1+R2 vs R2 Only
R1+R2
- Link line and CPC
- Linked at far end
- Standard method used
R2 only
- Long wander lead used
- Ends not linked
- Impractical far-end access
Linked ends vs wander lead
RCD Test Picker
- General non-delay RCD fitted→Test at IΔn(Max 300ms disconnection)
- S-type time-delayed RCD fitted→Test at IΔn(130 to 500ms band)
- Any RCD type checked→Alternating test current(No x5 test needed)
- TT system earth checked→RA x IΔn rule(Must not exceed 50V)
- Additional protection required→30mA non-delay RCD(Not an S-type)
- RCD function verified onsite→Press integral test button(Confirms RCD still trips)
Continuity Testing
- R1+R2
- Line plus CPC, linked far end
- R2 only
- Wander lead, resistance nulled first
- r1, rn, r2
- Ring conductors, measured separately
- Figure-of-eight
- Cross-connected ring, socket readings
- Spur reading
- Reads higher than ring sockets
Zs Formula
Zs equals Ze plus R1+R2
Ze: external loop onlyZs: Ze + R1+R20.8x: temperature correction factorCompare cold reading only
Ze vs Zs
Ze
- External loop only
- Earthing conductor disconnected
- Measured at origin
Zs
- Total circuit loop
- Ze plus R1+R2
- Compared to 0.8x table
External only vs whole circuit
Insulation Resistance
- Table 64
- Sets minimum IR values
- Up to 500V
- 500V DC test, min 1MΩ
- New work extra test
- 250V DC if equipment connected
- SPD caution
- Disconnect before 500V DC test
- Low reading
- Investigate near-minimum results
RCD Disconnection Bands
General 300ms max; S-type 130 to 500ms
General: single test at IΔnS-type: time-delayed, upstream positionTT rule: RA x IΔn 50VNo more x5 test
Type AC vs Type A
Type AC
- Sinusoidal AC only
- Fixed equipment only
- No DC component
Type A
- AC plus pulsating DC
- Common with electronics
- Modern default choice
No DC vs pulsating DC
Earth Loop & Zs
- Ze
- Origin, earthing conductor disconnected
- Zs formula
- Ze plus R1+R2
- 0.8 factor
- Compares cold Zs to table
- PFC/PSCC
- Checks device breaking capacity
- TT electrode rule
- RA times IΔn under 50V
RCD Testing
- IΔn test
- Single alternating current check
- General RCD
- 300ms max disconnection time
- S-type RCD
- 130 to 500ms delay band
- Type AC
- Sinusoidal only, fixed equipment
- Type A
- Also trips pulsating DC
- x5 test
- No longer BS 7671 minimum
Disconnection & Polarity
- Table 41.1
- 0.4s TN, 0.2s TT circuits
- Distribution circuits
- 5s TN, 1s TT max
- Reg 643.6
- Polarity, fuse in line only
- Reg 643.9
- Phase sequence, three-phase check
- Reg 643.10
- Functional test, RCD button too
Test Instruments & Diagnosis
- BS EN 61557
- Test instrument performance standard
- GS38 tip
- Max 4mm, ideal 2mm
- Multimeter fuse
- 500mA HBC, close to tip
- Loop/RCD tester fuse
- About 10A rating instead
- High-resistance joint
- Heat, voltage drop, intermittent fault
- Reversed polarity
- Line and neutral transposed danger
Common Traps
Amendment scope
A4 2026 is current standard ≠ A2 A3 withdrawn 15 Oct
RCD test count
Only IΔn test required now ≠ x5 test no longer required
Fee vs tuition
EAL fee is qualification only ≠ Centre tuition priced separately
Ze vs Zs scope
Ze excludes circuit conductors ≠ Zs includes R1+R2 total
Continuity method choice
R1+R2 links ends together ≠ R2-only uses wander lead
EIC vs MEIWC scope
EIC covers new circuits ≠ MEIWC covers no new circuit
C1 vs C2 urgency
C1 needs action before leaving ≠ C2 needs action, not immediate
Last Minute
- 1.GS38 tip max 4mm; ideal 2mm
- 2.RCD test = single check at IΔn
- 3.S-type RCD = 130-500ms delay band
- 4.Table 41.1: TN 0.4s, TT 0.2s
- 5.Distribution circuits: 5s TN, 1s TT
- 6.Insulation test = 500V DC, min 1MΩ
- 7.EIC = new work; EICR = condition report
- 8.C1 or C2 alone = unsatisfactory EICR
- 9.Prove-test-prove: check indicator before and after
- 10.Secure isolation = lock off, not switch
- 11.Inspection precedes testing per Reg 642.1
- 12.Compare measured Zs to 0.8x table
- 13.AFDD mandatory in 4 premises types
- 14.Pre-A4 BS 7671 withdrawn 15 Oct