Health & Safety

Electrical Safety — What You Need to Know

A plain-English resource on hazards, risk assessments, maintenance and competence — written by the engineers on the tools.

Hazards

Main Hazards of Working With Electricity

Direct contact with live conductors can cause serious injury or death.

From contact with live parts or arc flash exposure.

High-energy discharges that can cause severe burns and eye injury.

Faulty wiring, overloaded circuits and poor maintenance start fires.

Sparks in flammable atmospheres can cause catastrophic incidents.

Legal Compliance

1
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR) place a legal duty on employers, employees and the self-employed to prevent danger from electricity in the workplace.
2
All electrical systems must be constructed, maintained and used so as to prevent danger — so far as is reasonably practicable.
3
Only persons with the technical knowledge and experience to prevent injury (a 'competent person') may carry out electrical work.
4
Live working is prohibited unless it is unreasonable for the work to be done dead, suitable precautions are taken, and a competent person is in attendance.
5
We help businesses across Hull and East Yorkshire stay compliant with EAWR through inspection, testing, certification and ongoing maintenance contracts.

Risk Assessment

1
Who could be harmed and how — including employees, contractors and members of the public.
2
The electrical equipment in use, its condition and the environment it is used in.
3
The competence of the people working on or near the equipment.
4
The control measures already in place and what further measures are reasonably practicable.
5
Emergency procedures including isolation, first aid for electric shock and fire response.

Equipment & Installation

1
All electrical equipment must be suitable for the environment and the loads it will carry.
2
Installations must comply with the current edition of BS 7671 (the IET Wiring Regulations).
3
Sockets, switches and enclosures must be undamaged and properly fixed.
4
Cables and flexes must be correctly rated, supported and protected from mechanical damage.
5
Protective devices (RCDs, MCBs, fuses) must be in place and tested at appropriate intervals.

Maintenance

1
Carry out regular user visual checks — look for damaged plugs, scorch marks, frayed cables and burning smells.
2
Remove from service any equipment that looks damaged or behaves abnormally — and label it clearly.
3
Set inspection intervals based on use, environment and risk — high-use industrial kit needs more frequent checks than low-risk office equipment.
4
Keep records of inspections, tests and remedial work as evidence of compliance.

Competence

1
They have the technical knowledge and experience appropriate to the work.
2
They understand the hazards and the precautions needed to control them.
3
They can recognise when work is beyond their competence and stop.
4
They hold the relevant qualifications and are familiar with the current regulations.

PAT Testing

1
Portable Appliance Testing combines visual inspection with electrical testing of portable equipment.
2
Frequency depends on the type of equipment, the environment and how often it is used.
3
PAT must be carried out by a competent person with the correct equipment and training.
4
Records should be kept showing what was tested, when and the result.

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