School testing.

[shanky887614]

Yup very true, however, some schools never shut, they are open all year, during holidays they have activities going on, admitedly not all the school is occupied it can be the main hall and a few classrooms, I know of several I have maintained for years which vertually never close, when this is the case I find a chat to the site manager or head teacher about limitations and actual testing requirements to suit their needs is the best way forward, it is what I do dave

testing at night is the way to go then as well

 

[davesparks]

I can't believe any school is open 24/7

 

[UNG]

I can't believe any school is open 24/7

I know of 1 in Liverpool that was not far off open 24 / 7 when I did some work there a few years ago

 

[bigdavs83]

Any schools we've tested get a full test. Every circuit and is always done when it's shut whether it be school holidays or night shifts. If they are asking for limitations are they hiding something? As for the old you can't switch that off shout what happens if there's a power failure in the building?

 

[Guest77]

I can't believe any school is open 24/7

Not 24-7 no, I didn't say that, but working during the night turning off distribution boards could be awkward with no lighting couldn't it?

 

[Guest77]

Any schools we've tested get a full test. Every circuit and is always done when it's shut whether it be school holidays or night shifts. If they are asking for limitations are they hiding something? As for the old you can't switch that off shout what happens if there's a power failure in the building?

Ridiculous, they are the customer, they are employing you, they are asking you to do a test of the premises, if they say they do not want something testing then that should be enough information for you, who the hell do you think you are? the sort of guy who goes into someones house and demands they have a full rewire ? jeez, next post I won't be so friendly.

 

[davesparks]

Not 24-7 no, I didn't say that, but working during the night turning off distribution boards could be awkward with no lighting couldn't it?

No more awkward than it is during the day when the boards are on rooms without any windows.
And battery powered LED floods are so cheap these days I don't see the problem.

 

[UNG]

Any schools we've tested get a full test. Every circuit and is always done when it's shut whether it be school holidays or night shifts. If they are asking for limitations are they hiding something? As for the old you can't switch that off shout what happens if there's a power failure in the building?

I could ask what are you expecting to find, do you crawl over every mm of the installation you are doing an inspection and test on looking for problems that you can code as seems to be the motive these days. I'm assuming when you say 100% test this includes removing every accessory to check the terminals are tight etc.

 

[Guest77]

No more awkward than it is during the day when the boards are on rooms without any windows.
And battery powered LED floods are so cheap these days I don't see the problem.

well I suppose if your prepared to work nights and the school can afford the costs then I agree with you, it still comes down to the customer agreeing potential limitations though Dave, please don't start the numptey behaviour, you are better than that.

 

[UNG]

Not 24-7 no, I didn't say that, but working during the night turning off distribution boards could be awkward with no lighting couldn't it?

And have safety and security implications

 

[bigdavs83]

Ha ha nonsense!! We have the schools for a 30 year contract so they are our schools to maintain and we have targets to meet, if we don't we get penalised! Cutting corners gets us nowhere and we lose big contracts. Calm your beans just because you do it one way doesn't mean that applies to all situations. The OP was after advice I therefore stated that in our area of work it's a 100% test

 

[Guest77]

Ha ha nonsense!! We have the schools for a 30 year contract so they are our schools to maintain and we have targets to meet, if we don't we get penalised! Cutting corners gets us nowhere and we lose big contracts. Calm your beans just because you do it one way doesn't mean that applies to all situations. The OP was after advice I therefore stated that in our area of work it's a 100% test

A load of Bollox, the school is the customer, you do not own the building, if they tell you not to test a computer suite you bloody well do as you are told, I am done with you, one word=numpty.

 

[UNG]

Ha ha nonsense!! We have the schools for a 30 year contract so they are our schools to maintain and we have targets to meet, if we don't we get penalised! Cutting corners gets us nowhere and we lose big contracts. Calm your beans just because you do it one way doesn't mean that applies to all situations. The OP was after advice I therefore stated that in our area of work it's a 100% test

So your a PFI contractor having seen and worked in some of the schools built under these contracts I'm not surprised you do 100% test

 

[bigdavs83]

I've stated the deal we have in place and it's actually with the local authority which covers 6 schools and two leisure centres. We test it all as an arse covering exercise. Canny do night shift cos it's dark doesn't quite cut it these days

 

[Guest77]

I've stated the deal we have in place and it's actually with the local authority which covers 6 schools and two leisure centres. We test it all as an arse covering exercise. Canny do night shift cos it's dark doesn't quite cut it these days

Well that is fair enough, if you have a contract which says 100% must be tested then that is what you do, the question was what amount do you test, the answer is whatever the customer wants, not 100% and if they don't like it they are hiding something, jack the lad.

 

[bigdavs83]

UNG the schools are left in a midden for us to take over and trying to get them back on a snag issue is an interesting conversation. It's just not worth not testing it and leaving it for thirty years after the initial install.

 

[davesparks]

well I suppose if your prepared to work nights and the school can afford the costs then I agree with you, it still comes down to the customer agreeing potential limitations though Dave, please don't start the numptey behaviour, you are better than that.

What numpty behaviour?

I have no issue with agreeing limitations with a customer for good reasons. but limitations should be the last resort for dealing with more difficult to test areas not the automatic go-to response for anything the tester can't be bothered to think about a solution to.

I don't get why you say about being prepared to work nights? What is so special about working nights? Apart from being a bit darker outside and there being less distractions around (plus being a damn sight cooler at the moment) what's the difference?
Personally I'm just thankful that I've got a job doing something I enjoy, whatever time of day it is.

 

[bigdavs83]

Agreed MDJ it is whatever the customer wants and that is what the limitations sections are for but as I say in my experience it's a circuit that is left for thirty years after the initial install without a test. Just not worth it mate

 

[davesparks]

Back to the original point of this I would say it has to depend also on the quality of the previous testing.
If you have good test records and certs for all alterations made then you test a sample of the installation and compare it to the previous tests and record which parts were tested. Next time a different sample gets tested and so the process goes on.

If the installation is 50years old with no previous test records and every Tom , dick and Harry have been there altering it then you inspect and test as much as you can.

 

[ipf]

Agreed MDJ it is whatever the customer wants and that is what the limitations sections are for but as I say in my experience it's a circuit that is left for thirty years after the initial install without a test. Just not worth it mate

In a school, the odds are that if a circuit has been installed correctly and NOT interfered with in any way for thirty years, it will be perfectly OK. Thirty years ago it would have been wired to spec in conduit, etc. The problems generally occur due to alteration, addition or interference, sometimes during EICR/PIR's.