Epsilon Test Services blows the whistle on rogue contractors

Epilson is lobbying the NICEIC to step in and set industry standards to protect unwitting customers from being short changed. According to the firm, some companies within the electrical safety testing market are selling clients a 100% test and inspection deal, but when the small print is examined on their paperwork, it transpires that this includes only 10% insulation resistance testing. For buyers without electrical knowledge or training, the difference is easy to miss, but it has implications not only in terms of value but, more importantly, for safety standards.

“Facilities managers, health and safety managers and FM companies are being mislead and, in my opinion, mis-sold,” said Mark Blanchfield, managing director of Epsilon. “We have written to the NICEIC and asked them to set industry standards for periodic testing to stamp out this kind of unethical practice. We have recommended that the standard is set at 100% testing of every circuit because this is comprehensive and safe and it is the standard defined within the IET/IEE Wiring Regulations. If a contractor chooses to sell a service at a reduced level then they must at least be required to make their offer explicit so that buyers can make informed decisions.”

Blanchfield went on to explain the impact that testing less than 100 per cent circuits could have. His view is that electrical safety cannot be dealt with like survey, where a proportional sample is believed to be an adequate representative indicator for the whole. Circuits that run from the same board can be in very different conditions due to degradation over time or inflicted damage and as the cables are hidden within the fabric of the building it is critical to test every circuit to identify any wiring that may be unsafe.

“Each year, about 1000 accidents at work are reported involving electric shock or burns and around 30 of those are fatal, according to the Health and Safety Executive,” he said. “We are constantly campaigning to bring the need for robust and thorough testing to companies and other organisations. That’s why it’s especially galling that some test suppliers take short cuts and compromise the safety message. We sincerely hope that the NICEIC will take steps to improve regulation, set mandatory standards and thereby protect clients from being mislead.”