ELECTRICAL DESIGN, INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE

PERIODIC INSPECTION ON FIXED ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION (WR2)

A) Introduction about Electricity Ordinance (Cap. 406)

Pursuant to Electricity Ordinance (Cap. 406), all the owners of electrical installations are resonsible to arrange the qualified contractors and personal such as Registered Electrical Contractors (REC) and registered Elecrical Workers (REW) respectively to carry out periodic inspection under the prescribed duration as laid down within the legislation. The rating of installations are clerly defined such that different grade of REW should be appointed for the appropriate types of electrical installations. the usage of the properties is also categorized for different aspects from which different duration have been defined to suit the safety consideration Anyway, all fixed electrical installations, which is over the rating of 100A (Ampere), Should be inspected every 5 years by suitabe grde of REW and should have the endorsed WR2 ready for inspection at all times by Electrical and Mechanical Serices Department (EMSD) of HKSAR. This law applies to commercial and domestic building since June 1992. As such, all the buildings and properties should have their fixed electrical installation being inspected and should have endorsed WR2 form in order to comply with this legislation. Any new installations after June 1992 should also observe on the due date for their next inspection.

B) Legal requirement for electrical inspection
In the ordinacce, different types of buildings/properties with different fixed electrical installations will have different time frame for the periodic inspection by REW. In general, it only segregates into two distincy periods which are either one or five years.
  • 1 year for installation in the facilities under the following categories :
    - Cinemas and public entertainment facilities.
    - Dangerous Goods Stroes under Cap 295.
    - Buildings supplied with high voltage installation which is over 1,000V. General high voltage installations will be at 11,000V.
  • 5 year for most of the installation is commercial and residential complexes supplied with low voltage (i.e. 220/380V) and current capacity exceeding 100A and not under the above categories.

Owners of the properties should observe or consult REC on the specific requirements. As a rule of thumb, any current rating higher than 100A should have periodic inspection at least every five year unless the properties are falling in the categories above-mentioned.

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