Electrical
safety
Recent figures suggest that
around a quarter of all reportable electrical accidents involve portable
appliances. The HSE
report that in the five years between 1996/7 and 2000/01, 71 workers
were killed and 2804 injured in accidents
involving electricity. It is therefore important to ensure
the safety of electrical equipment used in the workplace.
The
Health & Safety At Work Act 1997 puts the duty of care
on both employer and employee to ensure the safety of all persons using
the work premises. The legal requirements relating specifically to the
use and maintenance of electrical equipment are contained in
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR).
The EAWR requires all electrical systems to be maintained to prevent
danger. This requirement covers all electrical equipment included fixed,
and portable equipment. The regulation also adds that a suitable defence
is proof that all reasonable steps and due diligence were exercised
in avoiding unsafe situations. Other
legislation of specific relevance to electrical maintenance - the Management
of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Workplace (Health,
Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, and the Provision
and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
Portable Appliance Inspection & Testing
Employers must maintain their
electrical equipment in order to prevent accidents. The majority of
equipment defects can be found by a detailed visual inspection. For
example a detailed examination by a trained person is likely to eliminate
hazards caused by plug
or cable damage, or other signs that the equipment’s
condition could create faults, or a danger to users. However, a visual
inspection alone will not identify all dangerous faults, therefore a
visual inspection needs to be linked to a testing program to reveal
less obvious
electrical faults such as earth continuity,
insulation integrity, earth leakage.
PAT Testing
Frequency
An important and often overlooked
aspect of portable appliance testing is the frequency of testing required.
Test frequency is dependant on the type of equipment, typical usage
and the environment in which is likely to operate. Advice on inspection
and testing intervals are available in the HSE document ‘Maintaining
Portable and Transportable Electrical Equipment’, this gives some
broad advise based on business types. The IEE provide a more detailed
guide on testing frequencies based on equipment types and workplace
locations in the ‘Code
of Practice for the In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical
Equipment’. However the individual circumstances will
vary and it is here that the advise offered by a specialist test company
can assist in helping the employers determine the correct course of
action for their own electrical safety needs.
PAT Testing
Records
Due diligence must be proved
in any proceedings for an offence in contravention of the EAWR. Detailed
test records are the most effective method for the duty holder to prove
that appropriate measures have been taken to avoid accidents.
Related Portable
Appliance Testing sites
HSE
Guide to maintaining portable electrical equipment in offices.
The
NICEIC Guide to Portable appliance testing
BBC
Health & Safety portable appliance testing
University
of Exeter Portable appliance testing policy
The information on this page
is provided by Plugtest Ltd - For further information on our UK
Portable Appliance Testing PAT service please visit our main page
at www.plugtest.co.uk
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