What happened, and what we are not reading into it
According to media reports, a dishwasher caught fire in a nursery school in Michle and the children were evacuated to the house next door. Nothing more is publicly known, least of all the cause. So we are not going to claim that a faulty appliance or a missed inspection was to blame. That would be cheap.
What we can take from the story is this: every nursery has dozens of appliances standing in rooms full of children. A dishwasher, a kettle, a microwave, a fridge, a washing machine, a tumble dryer, a vacuum cleaner, lamps, the photocopier in the staff room, plus a few extension leads. Each of them has a cord, a plug and insulation that age. And those are exactly what the technician looks at during an appliance inspection.
A dishwasher: an appliance, or part of the installation?
It depends on how it is connected. A dishwasher plugged into a socket with a flexible cord is an appliance and falls under ČSN 33 1600 ed. 2, i.e. appliance inspections. Equipment that is hard-wired is treated as part of the fixed electrical installation and is checked during the inspection of the building's electrical installation.
For the electrical installation in schools, Annex 4 of Government Decree No. 190/2022 Coll. sets the basic maximum intervals: schools 3 years, buildings with more than 200 people 2 years, wet rooms and rooms with corrosive substances 1 year; if several intervals apply, the shortest one counts. Which interval a particular kitchen has is decided by the inspection technician according to the environment. More in our article on an electrical installation fire in a school.
Which intervals apply in a nursery
Under ČSN 33 1600 ed. 2, schools and nurseries belong to group D (publicly accessible premises). For non-fixed appliances this gives the following intervals:
- Hand-held appliances (vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, the caretaker's power tools): every 12 months
- Other non-fixed appliances (a plug-in dishwasher, kettle, microwave, fridge, photocopier, lamps): every 24 months
- Extension leads and detachable cords, including multi-socket strips: every 12 months
- After a repair and after any damage to the appliance (electrical, impact, liquid): an inspection before further use
- Before being put back into service after more than 12 months in storage
What an inspection reveals on a dishwasher or a kettle
The technician inspects the appliance (housing, cord, plug, markings), measures the protective conductor resistance on class I appliances, the insulation resistance and leakage current on all of them, and finally runs a function test. The result is a list of appliances and a report on each one with the measured values, the verdict and the date of the next inspection.
An inspection is not fortune-telling: it will not say when the dishwasher pump will fail. But it does reveal a chafed cord, a faulty protective conductor or deteriorated insulation, the things that turn into an electric shock or a fire. An appliance that fails is taken out of use, visibly marked, and the operator is informed in writing.
What this means for the nursery's head teacher
- 1
List the appliances room by room (an estimate of how many and where is enough)
- 2
Find out when the appliances were last inspected and when the next inspection is due; we will watch the dates for you free of charge
- 3
Take a damaged appliance or extension lead out of use immediately, not at the next inspection
- 4
Order the inspection; the appliances do not need to be taken out of service beforehand, we inspect them in stages while the nursery runs
- 5
File the reports with the nursery's documentation; after a loss, the insurer often asks about inspections
How much it costs
As a guide, from 39 Kč per item for more than 20 items (volume discount for larger numbers), a single appliance from 80 Kč, a flat rate for up to 20 items from 1,100 Kč. For schools, nurseries and municipalities we prepare a quote based on the number of items and buildings.
Frequently asked questions
Does a nursery have to inspect its dishwasher?
If the dishwasher is plugged into a socket with a flexible cord, it is a non-fixed group D appliance under ČSN 33 1600 ed. 2 and is inspected every 24 months. A hard-wired dishwasher is checked during the inspection of the building's electrical installation.
Who is responsible for appliance inspections in a nursery?
The operator, i.e. the nursery school, or its founder (the municipality). The inspection is carried out by a competent person; our inspections are done by a certified inspection technician.
Will an appliance inspection prevent a fire?
Nothing gives a 100% guarantee. But an inspection reveals a damaged cord, a faulty protective conductor or deteriorated insulation before they become a problem. Just as important is an alert staff: a damaged appliance is taken out of use at once.
What if an appliance fails the inspection?
It must be taken out of use, visibly marked, and the operator must be informed. It can be put back into service after a repair and a new inspection.
Will an inspection report help with the insurer after a fire?
After a loss, the insurer often asks about inspections, so it pays to keep the reports on file. After a fire, an inspection technician can also issue a fault-finding report on the electrical installation describing the fault found from the technician's point of view; it is not an expert witness opinion.
What inspection intervals apply to appliances in a kindergarten?
In kindergartens, the intervals for non-fixed appliances are governed by ČSN 33 1600 ed. 2: hand-held appliances such as vacuum cleaners or hand tools every 12 months, and other non-fixed appliances, for example a plug-in dishwasher, kettle or microwave oven, every 24 months. Extension and detachable leads, including distribution boards, are inspected every 12 months. After repair and after any damage to an appliance, an inspection is required before further use.