The OIBT inspection in Switzerland: what you need to know

What is the OIBT inspection?

The Ordinance on Low Voltage Electrical Installations (OIBT) requires regular electrical inspections at time intervals that depend on the function of the building's use, namely:

For dwellings, an inspection every 20 years. If no inspection has been carried out during the last five years, one will be required when the owner changes.

For commercial premises/offices, an inspection will be carried out every year, every 5 years or every 10 years.

For new buildings, the OIBT inspection is carried out at the end of construction.

Energy suppliers/utility companies are responsible each year for reminding owners whether it is time to carry out an OIBT inspection, after which the owners have a period of 6 months to complete it.

Who covers it

Steps to take

Compliance of the installations

If the inspection is up to standard, a safety report will be drawn up, then, subsequently, transmitted to the owner as well as to the utility companies/suppliers.

However, if the installation turns out not to comply with the standards, the owner is obliged to commission a company to remedy it. A safety report can then be drawn up, after receipt of a defect-removal notice transmitted by the company in question to the inspection body.

Excerpt from the OIBT

Art. 5: Duties of the owner of an electrical installation

1. The owner or a representative designated by them ensures that the electrical installation meets the requirements of art. 3 and 4 at all times. On request, they must present a safety report.

2. To this end, they are required to keep the technical documentation of the installation (diagram, plans, operating instructions, etc.), which the installer or the electrical planner must hand over to them, for the entire service life of the installation, and the documents necessary for the safety report under art. 37, for at least one inspection period set out in the annex.

3. They are required to have defects repaired without delay.

4. Anyone who operates and directly uses an electrical installation owned by a third party is required to report any defects to the owner or their representative without delay, within the limits of their right of use, and to ensure that they are remedied.

For any questions or requests for further information, do not hesitate to contact us at 021 312 09 32.

Sources

https://www.lausanne.ch/prestations/services-industriels/controle-installations-electriques.html#