Rare Breeds Survival Trust
HEALTH AND SAFETY
INFORMATION
CODE OF PRACTICE: 09
SUBJECT: Electrical Safety
DISTRIBUTION: All Offices
FROM: The Conservation Co-ordinator
DATE: Oct 2016
ELECTRICAL SAFETY
Introduction
This code of practice provides advice to managers, staff and volunteers about the legal requirements contained in the Electricity at Work Regulations which came into effect on 1st April 1990.
This code gives advice about portable electrical appliances capable of being connected to mains electricity, their use, maintenance, repair, inspection and testing.
This code additionally provides advice on working near overhead and underground power lines
Definitions
Employees: staff and volunteers
Professional: someone holding the appropriate qualification, City & Guilds or above, and who is a member of NICEIC (National Inspection Council of Electrical Installation Contractors).
Competent person: someone with sufficient skills, knowledge and experience of the appropriate work.
Double insulated (also known as Class 2): equipment marked by provides protection by two layers of insulation, which protect any part of the actual equipment from becoming live.
Earthed equipment (also known as Class 1): the second layer of protection is provided by a conductive case connected to earth through the earth (green & yellow) wire in the plug.
Portable electrical equipment: equipment that has a lead (cable) and plug and which is normally moved around or can easily be moved from place to place e.g. vacuum cleaners, kettles, heaters, fans, television, desk lamps. Also included in this definition is equipment that could be moved e.g. photocopiers, fax machines and computers.
Assessing The Risk
The risks are greatest in harsh conditions, for example:
· in wet surroundings - unsuitable equipment can easily become live and can make its surroundings live;
· out of doors - equipment may not only become wet but may be at greater risk of damage;
· in cramped spaces with a lot of earthed metalwork, - if an electrical fault developed it could be very difficult to avoid a shock.
Some items of equipment can also involve greater risk than others. Extension leads are particularly liable to damage - to their plugs and sockets, to their electrical connections, and to the cable itself. Other flexible leads, particularly those connected to equipment which is moved a great deal, can suffer from similar problems.
Mains Electricity
· Professional assistance should be called for in all repair or maintenance work on wiring or appliances that are directly connected to the mains, even if that mains electricity is switched off.
· The electrical wiring system must be checked and a certificate of compliance issued. The check should be carried out and certificate re-issued every 5 years or after any major alterations to the system. Only a professional electrician who is qualified to NICEIC standards should issue this certificate.
· New electrical systems should be installed to a suitable standard, eg BS 7671 Requirements for electrical installations, and then maintained in a safe condition;
Reducing the risk
It is important that staff take steps to reduce the risk from electric shock. The senior member of staff at each location should ensure the following is considered:
· All members of staff and regular users of the premises know where to turn off the mains electricity.
· All workshop power tools, or tools/cables that are at risk of being cut or exposed to water, should be connected to a residual current device (RCD) or circuit breaker that operates at 30mA.
· Electrical tools that are expected to be used outside regularly should be purchased to operate at 110v using a suitable step down transformer.
· If portable equipment is not earthed, or marked as double insulated, it should not be used until it has been inspected and tested by a professional electrician.
RCD’s or Circuit Breaker
All workshop power tools, or tools/cables that are at risk of being cut or exposed to water, should be connected to a residual current device (RCD) or circuit breaker that operates at 30mA.
An RCD is a valuable safety device, never bypass it;
If the RCD trips, it is a sign there is a fault. Check the system before using it again;
If the RCD trips frequently and no fault can be found in the system, consult the manufacturer of the RCD;
The RCD has a test button to check that its mechanism is free and functioning. Use this regularly.
Electrical Equipment
Repair and maintenance of electrical equipment must be carried out by a ‘competent person’. This electrical work includes jobs you may do yourself at home, e.g. changing plugs and light bulbs. The following must be adhered to ensure compliance.
· All portable equipment, e.g. kettles, computers, extension cables, slide projectors should conform to a recognised standard and carry an appropriate kitemark. New equipment should have a European CE number; existing equipment will either have this or a BS kitemark.
· Equipment should be serviced by the manufacturer, supplier or another professional person at the recommended intervals.
· Repairs to faulty equipment should only be undertaken by the above.
· Competent staff with reference to any manufacturer’s instructions provided may undertake the changing of plugs and light bulbs. This work should be checked against those instructions by a second person.
· If the equipment is neither earthed, nor marked as double insulated, it should not be used until it has been inspected and tested by a professional person.
· Personal electrical equipment used in Trust premises must comply with the above, and should be checked/tested at the next opportunity according to the next section.
Checking portable electrical equipment
Definitions
User checks: Anyone using the equipment should check for damage to the outside of it, and to the plug and lead, before they use it. They should not take the plug apart.
Formal visual inspection: Can be carried out by a competent employee or by a professional electrician, and looks for -
damage (apart from light scuffing) to the cable covering and the plug;
non-standard joints including taped joints in the cable;
the outer covering of the cable not being gripped where it enters the plug;
equipment that has been used in unsuitable conditions, e.g. wet or dusty work place;
damage or obvious loose parts on the outer cover of the equipment;
overheating or burn marks; removal of the plug cover and checking that:
the correct fuse is being used;
the cord grip is holding the outer covering of the cable tightly;
the wires are fitted to the correct terminal;
the terminal screws are tight and no bare wire is showing other than at the terminals;
no signs of overheating or internal damage.
Shows, Events and other high-risk environments
Line managers must draw up an inventory of all portable equipment used on their site.
This equipment must be inspected and tested by a competent person, who will advise on the frequency of testing of individual items. Generally all items that are moved frequently (e.g. power tools etc) will require annual inspection and testing, whilst more static equipment may be on a 2-5 year regime depending on the class of earthing.
Working near overhead power lines
When working near overhead lines, it may be possible to have them switched off if the owners are given enough notice. If this cannot be done, consult the owners
about the safe working distance from the cables.
Remember that electricity can flash over from overhead lines even though plant and equipment do not touch them.
Over half of the fatal electrical accidents each year are caused by contact with overhead lines.
Combined inspection and testing: Only to be carried out by a professional electrician. It should be carried out initially to establish the state of the current equipment, and thereafter at the recommended intervals.
The checking and testing of portable electrical equipment in offices and workshops should be done according to the following table, and records kept for all items. Appendix 1 shows an example form that could be used for keeping records for up to three years, and how you might use it. Other ways of keeping the same information will also be appropriate.
Equipment/environment / User checks / Formal visual inspection / Combined inspection and testingBattery operated (less than 20 volts)
Extra low voltage (less than 50v AC (e.g. telephone equipment, low voltage desk lights
Information technology, e.g. desktop computers, VDU screens / No
No
No / No
No
Yes, 3 years / No
No
No if double insulated - otherwise 3 years
Cables (leads) and plugs connected to the above / Yes / Yes, 3 years / Yes, 3 years
Photocopiers, fax machines: NOT hand held, rarely moved / No / Yes, 3 years / No if double insulated - otherwise 3 years
Cables (leads) and plugs connected to any of the above / Yes / Yes, 3 years / Yes, 3 years
Double insulated equipment: NOT hand held. Moved occasionally, e.g. fans, table lamps, slide projectors / No / Yes, 3 years / No
Cables (leads) and plugs connected to any of the above / Yes / Yes, 1 year / Yes, 1 year
Double insulated equipment:
HAND-HELD, e.g. some floor cleaners / Yes / Yes, 1 year / No
Cables (leads) and plugs connected to any of the above / Yes / Yes, 6 months / Yes, 1 year
Double insulated equipment:
HAND-HELD WORKSHOP, e.g. some drills, sanders / Yes / Yes, 6 months / No
Cables (leads) and plugs connected to any of the above / Yes / Yes, 6 months / Yes, 1 year
Earthed equipment (Class 1), e.g. electric kettles, some floor cleaners / Yes / Yes, 1 year / Yes, 1 year
Cables (leads) and plugs connected to any of the above / Yes / Yes, 6 months / Yes, 1 year
Other Action Required
1. In premises where electrical testing is already in place the electrical contractor who has carried out the tests should be contacted and a revised testing schedule drawn up based on the above.
2. In premises where testing has not taken place, before contacting an electrical contractor:
· review electrical equipment, disposing of any unsafe or unused equipment appropriately;
· draw up a list of the portable appliances you want testing;
· decide into which category they fall;
· decide whether an electrician or a competent employee will be carrying out future visual inspections;
· arrange for an initial combined inspection and test to take place;
· agree with the electrical contractor the future schedule of inspection and testing.
References
Maintaining Portable Electrical Equipment in offices and other low risk environments’ HSE IND (G) 236L http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg236.pdf
Electrical Safety and you HSE leaflet INDG231 http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg231.pdf
Electricity at work - Safe working practices HSG85 (HSE) http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg85.htm
CoP 09 Oct 15 9 | Page
Appendix 1
Electricity at Work Regulations - Portable Appliance Testing Record
Office / Frequency of Inspection / Date of Last InspectionItem / Serial Number / Fuse Size / Location / Visual / Combined / Combined / Comments
Drill / 01435-43 / 13A / Tool store / 6 mths / 1 year / 1. / 01.10.96 C / Next due 01.04.97
2. / V
/ 3. / C
4. / V
5. / C
6. / V
Fridge / NEC 13-56-Y / 5A / Kitchen / 3 years / 3 years / 1. / 01.10.96 C / Next due 01.10.99
Kettle / SY-34-11-T / 13A / Kitchen / 1 year / 1 year / 1. / 01.01.96 C / Next due 01.10.97
2. / C
3. / C
etc.
Electricity at Work Regulations - Portable Appliance Testing Record
Office / Frequency of Inspection / Date of Last InspectionItem / Serial Number / Fuse Size / Location / Visual / Combined / Combined / Comments
CoP 09 Oct 15 9 | Page