3.1 EICR Layout, Sections, Declarations & Summary of Condition

3.1 EICR Layout, Sections, Declarations & Summary of Condition

Periodic inspection and testing of an existing electrical installation culminates in the compilation of an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). Unlike an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC), which certifies that a new installation or major alteration complies fully with BS 7671 at the time of construction, an EICR evaluates the safety, integrity, and ongoing serviceability of an existing installation. The model forms provided in BS 7671 Appendix 6 and expanded within IET Guidance Note 3 (GN3) establish a standardized 11-part administrative and technical structure (Sections A through K) designed to provide clear, legally defensible, and technically rigorous documentation for clients, enforcement authorities, and duty holders under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR).

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                     EICR MODEL FORM STRUCTURE (BS 7671 APPENDIX 6)                |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
| Section A: Details of the Client   | Section G: Declaration (Inspector & Reviewer)|
| Section B: Reason for Report       | Section H: Schedules Included in Report      |
| Section C: Installation Details    | Section I: Supply Characteristics & Earthing |
| Section D: Extent & Limitations    | Section J: Particulars of Main Protective    |
| Section E: Summary of Condition    | Section K: Observations & Action (C1/C2/C3/FI|
| Section F: Recommendations Date    |                                              |
+------------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+

---

Comprehensive Anatomy of Sections A through K

To ensure full compliance during City & Guilds 2391-51 examinations, inspectors must understand the exact purpose, data entry rules, and regulatory weight of each individual section of the model EICR form:

Administrative Sections (A – C)

• Section A (Details of the Person Ordering the Report): Records the name, client address, and legal identity of the duty holder ordering the inspection.
• Section B (Reason for Producing the Report): Specifies the trigger for periodic verification, such as routine periodic maintenance, change of occupancy/tenancy, landlord statutory compliance (Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020), mortgage acquisition, or insurance mandate.
• Section C (Details of the Installation): Defines the physical premises, age of the installation (estimated if unknown), type of premises (commercial, industrial, domestic, residential care), records of previous inspections, and general visual state.

Scope and Boundary Definition (Section D)

• Section D (Extent and Limitations of Inspection and Testing): Defines the exact physical and electrical scope of the report. It is split into two distinct categories:
  1. Agreed Limitations: Pre-planned constraints negotiated with the client prior to commencing work on site (e.g., "No insulation resistance testing on server room circuits feeding critical IT equipment," or "Inspection restricted to distribution boards DB-1 and DB-2 only"). Agreed limitations must be formally recorded and signed off by the person ordering the report.
  2. Operational Limitations: Unforeseen physical or operational constraints encountered during on-site activities (e.g., "Fixed high-bay luminaires above 6 metres inaccessible without specialized scaffolding," or "Locked plant room door preventing access to sub-main switchgear").

Critical Exam Rule: Agreed limitations must never be used to justify an incomplete or unsafe report. If agreed limitations are so severe that the overall safety of the installation cannot be determined, the inspector must advise the client that a valid report cannot be issued.

Installation Condition Summary & Recommendations (Sections E & F)

• Section E (Summary of the Condition of the Installation): Contains the definitive statement regarding the safety of the electrical installation. The overall condition MUST be rated as either SATISFACTORY or UNSATISFACTORY.
• Section F (Recommendations & Next Inspection Date): Where an unsatisfactory rating is given, Section F outlines the urgency of remedial work. It also specifies the recommended interval until the next periodic inspection, justified by the inspector's engineering judgment, environmental exposure, and guidance in GN3 Table 3.2.

---

Detailed Technical Parameters (Sections I & J)

Sections I and J record critical prospective fault levels and protective conductor metrics necessary for confirming automatic disconnection of supply (ADS) under fault conditions:

Section I: Supply Characteristics & Earthing Arrangements

• System Type: Identified as TN-S (separate neutral and protective earth conductors throughout), TN-C-S (protective multiple earthing - PME, combined neutral and earth in supply network), or TT (earth electrode at installation, earth connected independently of supply neutral).
• Supply Protective Device: Records the DNO (Distribution Network Operator) cutout device specifications—BS number (e.g., BS 1361 Type II or BS HD 60269-2), current rating ($I_n$, e.g., 80A or 100A), and short-circuit breaking capacity ($I_{cn}$, e.g., 33kA).
• Nominal Voltage ($U / U_0$): Recorded as 230V single-phase / 400V three-phase (+10% / -6% tolerance per ESQCR).
• External Earth Fault Loop Impedance ($Z_e$): Measured directly at the origin of the installation with the main earthing conductor temporarily disconnected from the main earthing terminal (MET) to prevent parallel earth paths through protective bonding.
• Prospective Fault Current ($I_{psf}$): Recorded as the higher value between the prospective short-circuit current ($I_{psc}$) between live conductors and prospective earth fault current ($I_{pef}$) between line and earth at the supply origin.

Section J: Particulars of Main Protective Conductors

Records the sizing, continuity, and connection integrity of:

• Main Earthing Conductor: Cross-sectional area ($mm^2$), material (copper/aluminum), and mechanical protection.
• Main Protective Bonding Conductors: Connections to extraneous-conductive-parts including water installation pipes, gas installation pipes, structural steelwork, oil lines, and central heating services.
• Bonding Connection Labelling: Verification of mandatory warning labels at main earth connections complying with BS 951 ("Safety Electrical Connection - Do Not Remove").

---

Dual Sign-Off Framework: Inspector vs. Reviewer (Section G)

BS 7671 Appendix 6 and C&G 2391-51 place rigorous emphasis on governance and technical accountability. Section G requires two separate legal declarations:

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                         SECTION G LEGAL DECLARATIONS                              |
+-----------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
|          INSPECTOR DECLARATION          |           REVIEWER DECLARATION          |
+-----------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| - Physically executes site testing      | - Conducts independent technical audit  |
| - Certifies accuracy of raw field data  | - Verifies math & Zs compliance         |
| - Signs for physical visual inspection  | - Validates observation code assignment |
| - Accountable for field measurements    | - Shares legal liability for sign-off   |
+-----------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------+

1. The Inspector (Skilled Person - Testing & Inspection): The individual who physically performed the visual inspection and executed the dead and live electrical tests on site. By signing, the inspector certifies that the inspections and test results recorded in the schedules are an accurate representation of the physical installation at the time of testing.
2. The Reviewer (Competent Person - Report Quality & Governance): The senior engineer or qualified supervisor who reviews the completed report documents. The reviewer conducts a comprehensive technical audit, checking that:
   • Recorded $Z_s$ values do not exceed maximum tabulated values in BS 7671 Chapter 41 (applying the 0.8 temperature correction factor).
   • Observation classification codes assigned in Section K correctly reflect the hazard severity.
   • No contradictions exist between recorded test values (e.g., high $R_1+R_2$ matching low $Z_s$).
   • Extent and limitations in Section D are legally sound and do not compromise installation safety.

Exam Note: While the inspector and reviewer can be the same qualified individual in sole-trader scenarios, they represent two distinct legal duties. In larger contracting organizations, the reviewer MUST be a designated Qualified Supervisor.