What this is
What is a fixed installation inspection?
What is a fixed installation inspection?
A periodic examination and test of the electrical installation serving a site or building: distribution boards, fixed wiring, earthing and bonding, and protective devices. It is testing against a defined standard, not troubleshooting a fault or checking a single piece of equipment.
What do the classification codes mean?
Danger present means a risk of injury exists now and requires immediate remedial action. Potentially dangerous means the observation could become dangerous and needs urgent investigation. Improvement recommended flags a departure worth addressing without indicating non-compliance. Further investigation required means the inspector could not determine whether a danger exists within the inspection's scope.
Who is competent to carry out the inspection?
Someone holding a recognised electrical qualification and current registration with an accredited scheme, working to the current wiring standard. Competence is assessed against the specific installation type; competence for a general commercial installation does not carry over to a hazardous-area or high-voltage one.
Scope
When is a fixed installation inspection required?
This is the periodic, whole-installation inspection. It sits above equipment- and panel-level checks and should not be used as a substitute for either, or treated as satisfied by them.
Use this template when
- The statutory or programme-defined interval for the fixed installation has been reached
- A change to the installation, supply or building use requires a fresh periodic inspection
- An insurer, landlord covenant or duty holder requires a current condition report
- The previous report's findings are due for verification as part of this cycle
- A post-incident inspection is required after an electrical fault, fire or near miss
Do not use it for
- Electrical Panel Inspection (SAF-161), the more frequent, narrower visual and thermal check of a specific distribution board, not the statutory whole-installation report
- Electrical Safety Risk Assessment (SAF-156), which assesses shock and arc flash risk from work on the installation rather than its physical condition
- Arc Flash Study Record (SAF-157), which records the incident energy calculation and PPE category at a panel, fed by this inspection rather than replacing it
- Live Working Justification Record (SAF-158), which records why work was carried out live, not the condition of the installation worked on
- New installation or major alteration work, which needs an electrical installation certificate rather than a condition report
Compliance mapping
Which ISO 45001 cl.8.1 requirements does this satisfy?
The duty to maintain the fixed installation is set in general terms by workplace electrical safety law; the method and classification scheme come from the wiring standard the inspection is written against.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, reg.4(2) | Systems maintained so as to prevent danger, so far as reasonably practicable | Header |
| BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations), classification codes | Observations classified C1 danger present, C2 potentially dangerous, C3 improvement recommended, or FI further investigation | Observations |
| ISO 45001 cl.8.1 | Operational controls established and applied to eliminate hazards and reduce risk | Result |
| ISO 45001 cl.9.1.1 | Monitoring of control effectiveness, including whether prior findings were resolved | Scope and method |
| ISO 45001 cl.10.2 | Nonconformities addressed with corrective action, ownership and a target date | Result |
| OSHA 29 CFR 1910.303 | Electrical equipment and wiring maintained free of recognised hazards | Header |
| Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, reg.4(1) | Systems constructed and maintained to prevent danger so far as reasonably practicable | Header |
What it does not cover
- Electrical Panel Inspection, which covers the enclosure, thermal and labelling condition of one distribution board on a quarterly cycle and does not substitute for whole-installation testing.
- Electrical Safety Risk Assessment, which addresses the risk to a person working on or near the installation, not its physical condition.
- Arc Flash Study Record, which requires its own incident energy calculation and cannot be inferred from a condition report's pass or fail.
- New installation certification, which is a distinct certificate confirming design, construction and initial verification, not a periodic condition report.
- Portable Appliance Test Record, which covers plug-in and portable equipment, not fixed wiring and distribution.
Global
Fixed Installation Inspection requirements by country
Statutory periodic inspection of the fixed installation is a distinctly British instrument; other regimes rely on general maintenance duties or a management-system requirement instead.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, with BS 7671 as the applied standard
Duty holders must maintain the installation to prevent danger; periodic inspection to BS 7671, with classification codes, evidences that.
Insurers, landlords and enforcers treat a current, satisfactory report as primary evidence of compliance; an expired one is a live liability.
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.303 and NFPA 70B maintenance guidance
No federally mandated periodic condition report exists; the duty is to maintain wiring free of recognised hazards, with NFPA 70B offered as guidance.
Absence of a mandated cycle does not remove the duty; an installation left uninspected for years is still exposed under the general maintenance requirement.
ISO 45001
The installation is an operational control subject to the requirement to eliminate hazards, reduce risk and monitor control effectiveness.
Certification auditors expect a defined inspection interval, evidence it was met, and evidence prior findings were actually closed.
How to complete it
How to complete a fixed installation inspection, step by step
The template prompts for a classification and a signature. Whether the record is defensible depends on judgements the template does not force.
State the percentage inspected, sized to the installation's age, history and complexity, not a habitual default. A poor previous report warrants a higher sample than a recently rewired installation, and the record should show that reasoning.
A report classifying this cycle's observations without confirming last time's were rectified has only checked half the record. Unaddressed C2 findings carried across multiple cycles mean the installation is not being maintained, whatever this result says.
A C1 finding means a risk of injury exists now. Recording it and moving on is not compliance with the classification's own definition; the immediate action, or a documented interim safe state, has to exist before the inspector leaves site.
The statutory interval is a maximum permitted gap, not a recommended one. An installation in a harsh environment, showing deterioration, or carrying unresolved items in volume should be reviewed sooner, with the record showing why.
What auditors find
Most common fixed installation inspection findings
Findings cluster around what the sample actually covered and whether the classification scheme was applied with any rigour.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Sample percentage too low to represent a large or ageing installation. | BS 7671, periodic inspection guidance | Size the sample to age, history and complexity, and state the percentage and justification in the report. |
| Report issued as satisfactory while previous cycle's observations remain unrectified. | ISO 45001 cl.9.1.1 | Verify closure of prior findings before recording the overall assessment; do not rate the cycle satisfactory over unresolved items. |
| Danger present findings recorded without evidence of immediate action or an interim safe state. | Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, reg.4(2) | Record the immediate action taken; where none was possible, document the interim isolation applied. |
| Classification code applied inconsistently, with C2-grade observations recorded as C3 to avoid remedial cost. | BS 7671, classification codes | Calibrate inspectors against the standard's definitions, and audit a sample of classifications against the underlying observation. |
| Next inspection interval carried forward unchanged despite deteriorating condition or a poor result. | ISO 45001 cl.8.1 | Set the next interval from this inspection's findings, shortening it where condition or unresolved items warrant. |
| Contractor's competence and scheme registration not verified or evidenced on the record. | Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, reg.4(2) | Record registration status at booking, not retrospectively, and decline the report where it cannot be evidenced. |
Case in point
Case in point: the satisfactory report with an unexamined ninety per cent
A manufacturing site's fixed installation was inspected on its five-year statutory cycle. The contractor sampled ten per cent of the boards, found two improvement-recommended items on ageing circuits, and issued a satisfactory assessment with a note to address the improvements at convenience.
Fourteen months later, a board outside the sample developed a loose connection and overheated, triggering a small fire caught by the smoke system before it spread. That board sat untouched across three consecutive cycles. The satisfactory report had, in practical terms, examined a tenth of the installation and said nothing about the rest.
The template
The template, field by field
The form exactly as it installs. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it.
4 sections
- Reference
- SAF-160
- Archetype
- Inspection
- Record ID
- INSP-2026-000
- Scoring
- Observations open
- Direction
- Low is good
- Singleton
- Yes
- Basis
- ISO 45001 cl.8.1
- Links
- Links Work orders, Contractor records
- Tags
- Electrical, Installation
- Sections
- 4
- Fields
- 40
- Follow up fields
- 4
- Repeating sections
- 1
- Links out
- 4
Header
14 fieldsInspection ID*
Auto sequence. Format INSP-2026-00000.
The record's own ID. Other templates point at this value.
Status*
Drives who this goes to next.
- Planned2 pts
- In progress2 pts
- Complete3 pts
- Deferred0 pts
- Open0 pts
- Closed3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Date and Time*
Completed By*
Site*
Site ID*
Format SITE-000.
Links to FDN-001 Site ID
Area
The area within the site.
Exact Location
Drop a pin for anything hard to find.
Installation Or Distribution Board*
Inspection Type*
Statutory Interval*
Contractor
Inspector Competent And Registered*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Within Interval*
- Yes3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Scope and method
3 fieldsPercentage Sampled*
Sampling is normal, but a small sample on a large installation says very little.
Previous Report Reviewed*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Previous Observations Rectified*
- All3 pts
- Most1 pt
- Few0 pts
Observations
Repeats6 fieldsObservation*
Location*
Classification Code*
Danger present and potentially dangerous both require action. Improvement recommended does not, but repeated ones point at a neglected installation.
- Danger present0 pts
- Potentially dangerous0 pts
- Improvement recommended2 pts
- Further investigation required1 pt
Immediate Action Taken
Owner*
Target Date*
Result
17 fieldsDanger Present Observations*
Potentially Dangerous Observations*
Improvement Recommended
Overall Assessment*
- Satisfactory3 pts
- Unsatisfactory0 pts
Certificate Or Report Issued*
- Yes3 pts
- Pending1 pt
- No0 pts
Report Attached
Remedial Work Ordered*
- Yes3 pts
- Not needed3 pts
- No0 pts
Work Order ID
Links to MNT-002 Work Order ID
Next Inspection Due*
Action Required*
Raise the action record, then enter its reference here.
- No2 pts
- Yes0 pts
Priority
- High0 pts
- Medium1 pt
- Low3 pts
CAPA ID
Format CAPA-2026-00000.
Links to FDN-014 CAPA ID
Action Owner
Inspector*
Signature*
Engineering Manager*
Second Signature*
SAF-160 · record IDs look like INSP-2026-000 · Links Work orders, Contractor records
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The report exists. What fails is the interval that slips, the sample never sized to the installation, and the prior finding that quietly carries forward unclosed.
Tracks the inspection interval against installation type and condition, flags an approaching statutory maximum, and checks prior observations were closed before the next cycle is filed.
Links danger present and potentially dangerous findings to work orders, and confirms remedial work was completed rather than only raised.
Holds contractor competence and scheme registration on file, checked against the record at the point the inspection is booked.
Watches for reports issued satisfactory while prior findings remain open, and raises the inconsistency before the record is accepted.
This template lives in KnowSafe — safety and compliance. Incidents, hazards, permits, inspections and the critical controls behind them.
Meet KnowSafe→Glossary
Fixed Installation Inspection definitions and key terms
- EICR
- Electrical Installation Condition Report: the formal report from a periodic inspection, recording observations against the wiring standard's classification scheme.
- Classification code
- The C1, C2, C3 or FI rating applied to an observation: danger present, potentially dangerous, improvement recommended, or further investigation required.
- Duty holder
- The person or organisation with legal responsibility for the safety of the fixed installation, typically the employer, landlord or owner.
- Periodicity
- The maximum interval between periodic inspections, set by installation type, environment and use, shortened where condition warrants.
- Sample
- The proportion of the installation actually inspected and tested, which should be stated and justified rather than implied as complete coverage.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about fixed installation inspection
How large should the inspection sample be?+
Large enough to reflect the installation's age, history and complexity, not a fixed percentage applied everywhere. A clean recent history can be sampled lightly; a poor previous report or known deterioration should be sampled more heavily, with the report stating why.
What happens when a danger present item is found?+
It requires action before the inspector leaves site, or a documented interim measure such as isolation. A danger present finding recorded and left for the next work order is not consistent with what the classification means.
Can the statutory interval be extended?+
The interval is a maximum permitted gap, not a fixed schedule to be used in full every time. It can be shortened by condition or history, but extending beyond the maximum removes the basis for calling the installation compliant.
Does a satisfactory report mean the whole installation is safe?+
It means the sampled portion, tested at the time, met the standard. It does not extend to the unsampled remainder, and a report that omits its sample size invites exactly that overreading.
Who has to be competent, the individual or the company?+
Both matter, but the inspector's qualification and current scheme registration is what the sign-off depends on. Company accreditation does not substitute for verifying the specific inspector's competence for that installation type.
What is the difference between this and an electrical panel inspection?+
This is the periodic, whole-installation report at the statutory interval, carried out by a competent contractor. A panel inspection is a narrower, more frequent visual and thermal check of a single distribution board, usually run by maintenance.
Keep going
Related templates and programmes
Industries this is written for
Programmes this belongs to
Used together in Electrical Safety and Arc Flash
Energy Isolation Verification
Records the physical test proving stored energy is gone before work begins
Electrical Safety Inspection
Checks panels, cords, outlets and portable equipment for damage and safe access
Electrical Safety Risk Assessment
Assesses shock, arc flash and burn risk from work on or near electrical systems
Arc Flash Study Record
Records the incident energy calculation at each panel and the resulting boundary and PPE category
Live Working Justification Record
Records why work is being carried out live rather than dead, and who accepted that decision
Portable Appliance Test Record
Records inspection and testing of portable electrical equipment, with the result and next due date
More in Electrical Safety
Electrical Safety Risk Assessment
Assesses shock, arc flash and burn risk from work on or near electrical systems
Arc Flash Study Record
Records the incident energy calculation at each panel and the resulting boundary and PPE category
Live Working Justification Record
Records why work is being carried out live rather than dead, and who accepted that decision
Portable Appliance Test Record
Records inspection and testing of portable electrical equipment, with the result and next due date
Electrical Panel Inspection
Checks panels for damage, heat, moisture ingress, labelling, clearance and unauthorised modification
Electrical Competency Authorisation
Authorises a named person to carry out defined electrical activities on this site, with the limits stated
Written and reviewed by
Siddarth Singh
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knowella
Certified Safety Professional and industrial and systems engineer with more than a decade inside food supply chain, freight and manufacturing operations. This page was written against the current text of the standards it cites, not against secondary summaries of them.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals
- MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- MS and BS, The Ohio State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Six Sigma Black Belt
Sources and last review. Reviewed 16 August 2026 against:
- Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, regulation 4 (UK)
- BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations), periodic inspection and classification codes
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.303, electrical equipment and wiring
- ISO 45001:2018 clauses 8.1, 9.1.1 and 10.2
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your jurisdiction’s regulator.