Quality and Safety Audit Review in Electrical QA/QC Explained

Purpose

This Knowledge Providing Task is designed to:

• Equip learners with practical skills to review electrical QA/QC audit or inspection reports.
• Develop the ability to identify non-compliance issues, prioritize corrective actions, and improve safety and quality.
• Apply UK legislation and standards (BS 7671, Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, ISO 9001:2015) to vocational electrical scenarios.
• Build analytical and decision-making skills to prevent incidents and ensure compliance.
• Distinguish between QA (preventive) and QC (verification) actions within electrical projects.
• Provide portfolio-ready evidence demonstrating workplace competency in QA/QC inspections.

This task focuses on vocational, competency-based skills, not purely academic theory.

Vocational Scenario – Sample Audit Report

Project: Commercial Electrical Installation, London, UK
Audit Conducted By: QA/QC Electrical Officer
Date: 15 March 2025
Location: Main Distribution Panel (MDP) Room, 3rd Floor.

Audit Findings Table:

Audit Item	Observation	Compliance Status	Risk Level	Notes
Cable Installation	PVC-insulated cables not colourcoded correctly	Noncompliant	Medium	Could cause phase identification errors
Circuit Breaker Ratings	Several breakers undersized for connected load	Noncompliant	High	Risk of overload & tripping
Earthing & Bonding	Main bonding conductor loosely connected	Noncompliant	High	Shock hazard during fault
PPE Compliance	Electricians not wearing gloves or boots	Noncompliant	Medium	Immediate safety risk
Documentation	Installation records incomplete	Noncompliant	Medium	Poor traceability
Functional Testing	Insulation resistance test not recorded	Noncompliant	High	Risk of unverified faults
Signage & Labelling	Circuit labels missing or incorrect	Noncompliant	Medium	Risk of incorrect maintenance

Overall Audit Status: Non-compliant – corrective actions required before energisation.

Vocational Analysis

QA vs QC Principles Applied

Quality Assurance (QA) – Preventive Measures:

• Verify installer competency and training.
• Ensure correct materials and tools are used.
• Conduct risk assessments before energisation.
• Enforce PPE compliance and safety protocols.

Quality Control (QC) – Verification Measures:

• Inspect cable colour coding, breaker ratings, earthing, and bonding.
• Perform functional tests: continuity, insulation resistance, RCD operation, breaker verification.
• Verify documentation is complete and accurate for compliance audits.
• Confirm proper signage and labelling for safe maintenance.

Risk Assessment

Hazard	Potential Consequence	Severity	Likelihood	QA Preventive Measures	QC Verification
Incorrect cable colour coding	Phase misidentification	Medium	High	Check cable type & phase coding preinstallation	Inspect installation & confirm correct colours
Undersized circuit breakers	Overload, fire	High	Medium	Verify load calculations & breaker selection	Test breaker rating & trip times
Loose bonding conductor	Electric shock	High	High	Preinstallation bonding checks	Retest earth continuity
PPE noncompliance	Electric shock	Medium	High	Enforce PPE policy	Observe compliance on site
Missing documentation	Audit failure, poor traceability	Medium	Medium	QA: enforce record keeping	QC: verify completion of records
Missing insulation resistance test	Faults undetected	High	Medium	Include tests in preenergisation checklist	Retest insulation and record
Missing signage	Incorrect maintenance	Medium	Medium	QA: ensure labelling	QC: verify labels are present

Step-by-Step Audit Review Procedure

Step 1: Document Analysis

• Review all installation records, test logs, and previous inspection reports.
• Check for completeness, consistency, and adherence to ISO 9001 documentation standards.

Step 2: Hazard Identification

• List hazards identified during the audit.
• Assign risk levels: high, medium, or low.
• Assess potential impact on safety, compliance, and project timeline.

Step 3: QA Preventive Measures

• Verify installer competency and training records.
• Confirm correct materials, tools, and PPE are used.
• Conduct pre-energisation risk assessment.

Step 4: QC Verification Measures

• Inspect cable colour coding, breaker sizing, earthing, and bonding.
• Conduct functional tests: continuity, insulation resistance, breaker testing.
• Verify circuit labelling and signage.
• Ensure documentation reflects all checks and corrective actions.

Step 5: Corrective Actions & Follow-Up

• Assign responsibility for resolving non-compliances.
• Re-inspect corrected items and document results.
• Approve energisation only after all high-risk items are corrected.

Step 6: Continuous Improvement

• Record lessons learned for future audits.
• Update QA/QC procedures and checklists.
• Conduct team briefings to prevent recurrence of issues.

UK Legislation & Standards Referenced

Legislation / Standard	Relevance	QA/QC Action
BS 7671:2018 (IET Wiring Regulations)	Installation standards, testing, earthing, labelling	Verify compliance through inspections and tests
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989	Safe electrical systems and competent personnel	Preventive QA checks before energisation
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974	Employee and public safety	Enforce PPE, safe workpractices
ISO 9001:2015	QA/QC documentation, continual improvement	Maintain audit logs and corrective actions

Guided Analytical Questions

• Identify the three highest risk non-compliances in the audit and explain why they are critical.
• Propose QA preventive measures for each high-risk item.
• Suggest QC verification steps to ensure corrections are effective.
• Explain how documentation and traceability support QA/QC compliance.
• Discuss the difference between QA and QC responsibilities demonstrated in this audit.
• Recommend procedural improvements to prevent recurrence of these issues.
• Discuss ethical considerations when deciding whether to approve energisation.

Vocational Tips

• Never approve energisation until all high-risk non-compliances are corrected.
• Maintain accurate documentation for compliance and ISO audits.
• Enforce PPE compliance for all personnel.
• Use audit findings to implement continuous improvement procedures.
• Cross-check installation with BS 7671, Electricity at Work Regulations, and ISO 9001.
• Communicate findings clearly with team and management to prevent incidents.

Learner Task

1. Review the sample audit table and identify five non-compliances posing the highest safety risk.
2. For each, describe QA preventive actions you would implement.
3. Outline QC verification steps to confirm corrections are effective.
4. Prepare a corrective action log detailing responsibilities, deadlines, and followup checks.
5. Recommend two procedural improvements for future audits to reduce recurring non-compliance issues.