Electricity is the lifeblood of any workplace; without it, your business wouldn’t run.
Electricity is dangerous and must be treated with care by Employers, Employees, and Contractors.
Whether you run a small shop or a large industrial factory as an Employer, you have a duty of care to ensure your employees are safe in the workplace, by law, and for insurance purposes, your Electrical system and appliances must be safe to use at all times.
Electrical safety is easy to achieve all that’s required is periodic testing of your Electrical systems and appliances, some regular safety checks of your equipment and premises and making your employees aware of the potential dangers.
A commercial Electrical system should be inspected by a qualified electrician every five years, an industrial electrical system every three years, while portable appliances should be tested (PAT Testing) every three months to 2 years, this will depend on the type of appliance, the usage and the risk involved in using the appliance.
Testing will uncover any faults that may have developed within your system or appliances. Faults often go unnoticed and can lead to electrocution, electrical fire and even fatalities. Any faults found can be rectified by your Electrician.
By having your system and appliances tested periodically, you will keep yourself and employees safe while staying on the right side of the law and your insurance company who often recommend regular electrical testing.
Employer & Employee Electrical Safety Checks
You and your staff can follow these simple safety checks daily, weekly or monthly (how often you deem necessary) these checks will reduce the chance of an electrical accident in the workplace. Make sure your employees are aware of these checks and encourage them to report anything they think is dangerous.
- Ensure there are no cables trailing across the floor where they can be cut, damaged or tripped over
- All cables should run neatly out of the way in an organised manner; they should never be twisted, tangled or damaged
- Never use electrical equipment near water or flammable chemicals, gasses etc
- Ensure all power supplies, machines and appliances are labelled so they can be switched off in the event of an emergency
- Ensure there are enough power points in your premises, never run to many appliances off a single PowerPoint
- Make sure your electrical system and appliances have the correct fuses. (Electrical testing will establish this)
- Make sure no live wires or parts are exposed anywhere
- Never use damaged Electrical equipment, plugs or leads
- Finally, read the Heath And Safety Executive guidelines on Electricity