Reference: RCDS 015 THE SAFE USE OF ELECTRICITY Description of Activity Statutory requirements apply to all use and potential use of electricity. This Data Sheet applies to:- 1. All Mains voltage Portable handheld and Fixed or static electrical appliances and equipment including; Polishers, kettles, computers, fridges, driers, power tools, lamps, etc. Electrical machinery, generators, transformers, illuminated street furniture, display lighting, Christmas tree lighting 2. Low voltage and battery powered equipment including:- Alarms, sounders, bells and security devices Battery vehicles, powered handling or lifting machines Portable power tools 3. The controls, cables, wiring and circuitry including:- Fixed or temporary wiring & switchgear, automatic controls, Experimental electrical circuits and lecture demonstrations Plugs, sockets, connectors, cables and leads Wiring to fixed plant, circuits, switchgear, meters Persons at Risk All Employees, service users, MOP, visitors, pupils or others who may use, borrow or have access to electrical equipment or installations. All those in the vicinity of equipment or installations who may be affected by it s presence or use or who are particularly vulnerable through being unaware of hazards or not having the capacity to respond to warnings or emergencies. Those who handle, store, inspect, test, adjust and maintain electrical equipment or installations or who are required to work with exposed or live electrical wiring and conductors. Hazards Personal Injury Electrical shock, loss of control and unconsciousness Burns from arching, overloading / overheating and fire, Malfunctions or loss of control of machines or devices Misuse and abuse. First issued September 2003 2 October 2004 H & S MAN00191/JL Page 1 of 6
Damage Overheating and Ignition causing fire and explosions Improper function and loss of service from the connected equipment Interruption or damage to the electrical supply. References for Consultation The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and Memorandum of guidance 1989 HSR 25. The Provision and use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999. BS 7671: 1992 Requirements for electrical installations. IEE Wiring Regulations 16th edition. Code of practice for in service inspection and testing of electrical equipment. Maintaining portable and transportable electrical Equipment. HSE, HSG 107 HSE Publication: Electricity at work: safe working practices HS (G) 85 Risk Control (a) Planning and Organising. Managers will need to ensure: Those who are responsible for electrical safety are properly identified and competent. All work with electricity and electrical equipment is formally risk assessed to identify necessary control measures and relevant safe working methods. (Section 4 of this Manual). Those working with electricity have systematic written arrangements for safe working. All electrical systems are installed and maintained to a suitable standard. Detailed records are kept to facilitate care and maintenance of fixed installations and portable appliances. Safe working control measures are periodically reviewed. (b) Specific control measures Provision of information & safe working methods. Safe working will be based on risk assessment. Users of electrical appliances and equipment will require information and training on the nature of hazards and how they may be avoided or controlled. This information will include consideration of conditions in which appliances are used, ergonomics, vibration and noise, Personal Proactive Equipment (PPE), and work planning etc. as identified within the risk assessment. Warning signs, labelling of controls and limitations of use should also be considered. Supervision and monitoring of work. First issued September 2003 2 October 2004 H & S MAN00191/JL Page 2 of 6
Supervision is required to prevent deliberate or accidental misuse or disregard of established procedures etc. Levels of supervision will need to be based on the knowledge, competency and age (young persons) of the user and be identified through the risk assessment process. Amateur, voluntary or non-professional electrical work. This is likely to result in unsafe adaptations, tampering or interference and should not be permitted. Examples of this include investigating and rectifying faults in office machines and IT equipment, etc. installing temporary wiring or decorative lights etc. This work will need a trained competent person or their advice or supervision. Use of homemade or adapted equipment. This will be specifically prohibited unless subject to controls involving prior formal approval dependant on testing or certification. Contingency planning. Consider specific procedures to control foreseeable contingencies such as breakdowns / failures of electrical equipment and circuits, etc. Also consider planning for emergencies to include first aid, lift rescue or sudden failure of lighting, heating or other essential services requiring standby systems or a quick response by a competent electrician. Damaged or suspect equipment. Damaged equipment will need to be withdrawn from use pending full inspection, repair and testing by a competent person. Urgent action will be required to ensure faulty equipment remains unused. An affected area should be made safe and protected with prominent warnings until competent assistance can be obtained to safely disconnect the supply and remedy the fault. Fixed circuitry and socket outlets. These will need to be subject to periodic testing and re-certification as part of the buildings maintenance (usually every 5 years). This will need to take into account special hazards such as hot or wet conditions and physically damaging environments such as kitchens, construction areas and workshops, etc. These may require special heavy duty industrial or waterproof wiring, connectors and isolators, etc. First issued September 2003 2 October 2004 H & S MAN00191/JL Page 3 of 6
(c) Use of portable and transportable mains electrical equipment: Selection, purchase, installation and commissioning. Selection and purchase of electrical equipment will be by a person who is authorised and competent to ensure items are properly selected for use and installed and commissioned to meet all relevant regulations and approvals. Portable appliance test (PAT) and visual inspection. A register which lists each item of electrical equipment should be developed. This will form the basis of an inspection regime for each appliance. The register should record the recommended intervals for regular formal visual inspection and/or electrical testing according to the guidance issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). See table below. The inspection/test regime for portable appliances will be made up of:- (1) User Checks Users of portable and hand held appliances and those that work with installed electrical wiring, plant and equipment are recommended to carry out a simple visual inspection before each use. Users need to identify and respond to: unusual operation - visible damage or deterioration to plugs, sockets, wiring, connectors; discoloration of casings, overheating and sparking in appliances, exposed conductors, loose connections etc. (2) Formal visual inspection This will require a person competent to recognise physical defects of equipment or appliance faults or defects in connectors, wiring or installations, etc. The result of each inspection should be recorded on the register with any action required. (3) Combined inspection and testing scheme. This should be carried out by competent electricians or installations engineers to provide formal inspection, testing and certification records for selected items. This record would be appended to the register. The table below lists type of equipment and suggested elements for an inspection/test regime. First issued September 2003 2 October 2004 H & S MAN00191/JL Page 4 of 6
Type of equipment use Equipment hire Construction (For indication only. See Electrical safety on construction sites for more detail) Light industrial Heavy industrial / high risk of equipment damage User Checks N/A 110 V - Weekly 230 V mains - Daily/every shift YES Formal Visual Inspection Before issue/after return 110 V - Monthly 230 V mains - weekly Before initial use then 6-monthly Combined Inspection and Test Before issue 110 V - Before first use on site then 3-monthly 230 V mains - Before first use on site then monthly 6-12 months DAILY Weekly 6-12 months Office information technology, e.g. desktop computers, photocopiers, fax machines NO 1-2 years None if double-insulated, otherwise up to 5 years Double-insulated equipment Not hand-held e.g. fans, table lamps NO 2-3 years No Double-insulated (Class II) equipment, Hand-held, e.g. some floor cleaners, kitchen equipment and irons YES 6 months - 1 year 1-2 years Earthed (Class I) equipment, eg electric kettles, some floor cleaners YES 6 months - 1 year 1-2 years Equipment used by the public, eg in hotels BY MEMBER OF STAFF 3 months 1 year Cables and plugs, extension leads YES 1 year 2 year From Maintaining portable and transportable electrical equipment, HSE HSG107. August 2004 (d) Work on mains electrical equipment or installations etc. Those authorised to carry out such work will be properly trained and experienced so that they may identify special hazards, are aware of the nature of the risks and how to control them or they are directly supervised by a person who is. All new or modified electrical installations, etc will be carried out only by competent persons. All such work will require detailed designs and drawings along with formal certification. (e) Examples of some special risks: Exposed conductors carrying high currents and voltages. Only competent engineers, trained technicians or electricians are permitted to carry out work with unavoidably exposed conductors carrying high currents and voltages or to design, repair, carry out modifications or work on experimental designs, etc. Special risk assessment, warning signs, permits to work and controls apply to all such work. First issued September 2003 2 October 2004 H & S MAN00191/JL Page 5 of 6
Live Working. In all cases work must be planned to avoid working 'live'. Where this is unavoidable strict controls identified through risk assessment will apply. This may include special workspace design, permits to work, two person working and enhanced training and precautions,. Storage Batteries and battery charging installations. These have exposed connections and conductors and associated hazards from toxic or corrosive electrolytes. A risk of explosion from gassing and bursting from overheating / overpressure also exists. All battery work will require a designated workspace with hazard warning signs, suitable flameproof ventilation, PPE and chemical precautions and a person competent to understand the hazards and equipped to take the necessary precautions. Low voltage or low power circuits. These and experimental designs worked on by pupils and students, or as demonstrations, will require prior planning and a written risk assessment. This would identify integral safeguards and direct competent supervision to avoid departures from safe working and to deal safely with unexpected or unforeseen failures or events outside of the experience of trainees. Lone working. This may include electrical work without close or direct supervision, mobile workers visiting other premises or working away from a fixed base, and work outside normal hours etc. Unless hazards are identified and directly controlled, so that work is as safe as if it was done in ordinary circumstances all such work with electricity or sources of electricity will need to be intrinsically / inherently safe. See also Working alone in Safety. Controlling the risks of solitary work. HSE. INDG73 (rev). Additional advice or assistance is available from the OHSU on extension 2166 or by e-mailing us on health.safety.askus@hounslow.gov.uk First issued September 2003 2 October 2004 H & S MAN00191/JL Page 6 of 6