What is test documentation?
The written record of commissioning — what was tested, how, with what, the result, and who signed it.
Test documentation is the written evidence that the system was tested and passed. Results are recorded at the time on test sheets that show the circuit, the method, the limit, the measured value, the date, the tester and the instrument used.
Each record is checked against its limit, then signed by the tester and the witness. A mistake is fixed by a dated correction, never by erasing. Complete records are compiled into the test report, indexed and delivered in the handover pack, so the system has a traceable baseline for later maintenance.
- Plan. Agree the test plan, the limits and the test sheets before testing starts.
- Record. Write each value as it is measured, with date, tester and instrument.
- Verify. Compare every result with its limit and confirm the instrument calibration is current.
- Sign. The tester, the witness and the responsible engineer sign each record.
- File. Compile and index the test report and include it in the handover pack.
- Correct. Fix any gap or error by a dated entry and re-test where the result is in doubt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What is test documentation in airfield ground lighting?
The written record of everything tested during commissioning: the test plan, the completed test sheets, the instruments used, the results against the limits, and the signatures. It is the evidence that the system was tested and that it passed.
Q2Why must test results be recorded at the time?
Values written down as they are measured are reliable and traceable. Results filled in later from memory can be wrong and cannot be defended. Each entry should show the value, the date, who tested and the instrument used.
Q3What should a test sheet show?
The circuit or item tested, the test method, the limit that applies, the measured value, the pass or fail result, the date, the instrument and its calibration reference, and the signatures of the tester and the witness where required.
Q4Why does instrument calibration matter?
A reading is only as good as the instrument behind it. Recording the instrument and its calibration certificate shows the results can be trusted, and lets a reading be checked or repeated later with the same confidence.
Q5How is a mistake in a test record corrected?
By a dated and initialled correction, with the original entry left readable. If the result is in doubt the test is repeated and the new result is recorded. Erasing or overwriting an entry removes the evidence and should not be done.
Q6What happens to the test documentation after commissioning?
It is compiled into a test report, indexed so each record can be traced to its circuit, and delivered in the handover pack. It becomes the baseline for later maintenance, so future readings can be compared with the commissioning values.
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