Portable Electrical Equipment

STFC Safety Code No 17

Rev. 1.2, Issued May 2013

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Revisions
1 1.1 1.2 Initial Launch Minor changes to section 3.1, Addition of extension leads to Appendix 2 Amendments to audit checklist June 2008 June 2009 May 2013

Issue Number: 1.2

Issue Date: 21/05/2013

Author: Andy Dickinson

Page 2 of 12

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Contents
1 2 3 4 Purpose Scope Definitions Responsibilities 4.1 Responsible Estates Departments 4.2 Managers and Supervisors 4.3 Staff, users, visitors, tenants and contractors

Appendices Appendix 1 Inspection & Testing Procedure Appendix 2 Guidance on the use of Portable Electrical Equipment (including extension leads) Appendix 3 Training Requirements Appendix 4 Audit Checklist

Issue Number: 1.2

Issue Date: 21/05/2013

Author: Andy Dickinson

Page 3 of 12

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Portable Electrical Equipment 1 Purpose The purpose of this code is to minimise possible hazards arising from the use of Portable Electrical Equipment, these include: Electric shock; Fire; and Electrical burns. Portable Electrical Equipment should only be used for the purpose for which it was intended and in the environment for which it was designed and constructed. This code meets the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974, Electricity at Work Regulations, 1989, and Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), 1998, which requires employers to ensure that equipment is suitable for the use which it is provided (Reg 4(1)), that equipment is maintained in good order (Reg 5) and is inspected as necessary to ensure it is maintained in a safe condition (Reg 6). This Code specifies the arrangements, which exist in the STFC for the periodic inspection and testing of Portable Electrical Equipment (Portable Appliance Testing [PAT]) and outlines the duty that each individual has for only using safe items of Portable Electrical Equipment. 2 Scope This policy is applicable to all staff, users, visitors, contractors and tenants at STFC sites and for all portable electrical equipment used on these sites irrespective of its ownership, for example equipment brought to STFC sites by facility users and contractors. This code applies to portable electrical equipment purchased and portable electrical equipment constructed/manufactured in-house. Battery operated equipment is exempt from Portable Electrical Equipment inspection and testing. 3 3.1 Definitions Portable Electrical Equipment Portable electrical equipment is defined as those items operated by an electrical supply of 400, 230 or 110 volts via a flexible lead fitted with a plug and socket connection, including flying leads. Examples include: computers, extension leads, fans, electric heaters, kettles, microwaves, refrigerators, toasters, battery chargers, 230 / 110 volt power tools and other similar equipment. This may also include in-house designed and constructed electrical equipment such as electronics racks.
Issue Number: 1.2 Issue Date: 21/05/2013 Author: Andy Dickinson Page 4 of 12

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Schedule A equipment, which must be tested annually, includes items such as: desk fans; extension leads; kettles; refrigerators; microwave ovens; vacuum cleaners; water coolers; portable air conditioning units; electric heaters; toaster; electric drill; soldering irons; electric power leads; electronics racks Schedule B equipment, which must be inspected every four years, includes IT and electronic test equipment such as: desktop computers; notebook (laptop) computers; printers; computer display screens; plotters; battery chargers. 4 4.1 Responsibilities Responsible Estates Departments (or equivalent premises management) shall:

4.1.1 appoint competent Portable Electrical Equipment inspectors and testers, see appendix 3. 4.1.2 approve, as appropriate, competent Departmental staff in writing to undertake Portable Electrical Equipment inspection and testing in their own organisational areas, and maintain a register of these staff. 4.1.3 organise and execute an annual inspection and testing programme for Schedule A Portable Electrical Equipment, 4 yearly for schedule B equipment, including the disposal or repair of faulty equipment using competent Portable Electrical Equipment inspectors or those approved competent according to the IET Code of practice for in service inspection and testing of Electrical Equipment, see Appendix 1. 4.1.4 based upon the results of the inspection and testing programme maintain a site register of Portable Electrical Equipment, its name and location, and a database of test results. 4.1.5 provide advice on Portable Electrical Equipment electrical safety as required. 4.2 Managers and Supervisors shall:

4.2.1 ensure that items of Portable Electrical Equipment, including extension leads, are only used for the purpose for which it was intended and in the environment for which it was designed and constructed, see Appendix 2. Connecting extension leads in series (daisy chaining) is not allowed. 4.2.2 ensure that everyone they manage is aware of their responsibilities with regards to the selection and use of Portable Electrical Equipment. 4.2.3 ensure, directly or though their staff, that all the electrical equipment in their charge is safe to use, ensuring that faults or defects found, or suspected, in

Issue Number: 1.2

Issue Date: 21/05/2013

Author: Andy Dickinson

Page 5 of 12

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

electrical equipment or appliances are reported, as appropriate, to the responsible estates departments. 4.2.4 ensure that the initial testing and inspection of appliances, and re-testing at appropriate intervals, is undertaken, and assist in the maintenance of an accurate Portable Electrical Equipment register. This shall include in-house designed and constructed equipment, 4.2.5 ensure that the inspection and testing of Portable Electrical Equipment is carried out by competent persons, see appendix 3. 4.2.6 take appropriate actions regarding faulty / unsuitable equipment by taking it out of service, and reporting it to the responsible Estates Departments, as appropriate reporting incidents related to such equipment as a near misses, see SHE code 5, Incident Reporting and Investigation. 4.3 Staff, users, visitors, tenants and contractors shall:

4.3.1 ensure that items of Portable Electrical Equipment are only used for the purpose for which it was intended and in the environment for which it was designed and constructed, see Appendix 2. 4.3.2 ensure that all new Portable Electrical Equipment is tested / inspected and that the correct label is attached prior to use. Where short-term visitors bring laptop PCs to STFC sites for up to 2 days, a visual inspection of the transformer and cable by their host is sufficient to allow the temporary use of the laptop, see Appendix 2. 4.3.3 assist in the maintenance of equipment, by visually inspecting all portable electrical equipment prior to use to check for damage, loose cables, etc, see Appendix 2. 4.3.4 identify and report faulty portable electrical equipment and withdraw it from service, by ensuring it can not be used and/or is marked faulty. 4.3.5 do not use any portable electrical equipment that does not have a dated test label, or has a test label that has expired. Such equipment should be considered unsafe and reported to line managers and the appropriate responsible Estates Departments.

Issue Number: 1.2

Issue Date: 21/05/2013

Author: Andy Dickinson

Page 6 of 12

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Appendix 1 Inspection and Testing Procedure The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), Code of Practice for Inservice Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment establishes three categories of inspection and testing: (a) User checks by visual inspection; faults to be reported and logged, but no record is required if no fault is found. (b) Formal visual inspections; inspections without tests the results of which, satisfactory or unsatisfactory, are recorded (c) Combined inspections and tests, the results of which are recorded. The most important check that can be carried out on a piece of equipment, particularly portable appliances or hand-held tools is the visual inspection. This should be carried out by the user each and every time the equipment is used, checking for example for evidence of damage, loose cables etc. Protection against electric shock, electrical burn and fire can only be assured by the provision of safe items of electrical equipment. Their safe condition must be maintained retained by vigilance, and inspection and testing.

All electrical inspection and testing should be performed by a person who is competent in the safe use of the test equipment and who knows how to interpret the results obtained, see appendix 3 for training requirements. The following steps shall be undertaken: Before the equipment is tested it is subjected to a preliminary visual inspection. This visual inspection is the most important activity carried out on a piece of equipment. In-service testing must be preceded by a preliminary inspection as described above. Testing will involve the following: o Earth continuity tests (Class I earthed equipment only); and o Insulation resistance testing. On completion of the equipment inspection and testing an adhesive label will be fixed to the equipment and/or lead indicating the date tested / date of next test. All equipment and test results will be held on a portable electrical equipment register held by the responsible Estates Department. In the event of any item being found to be defective, it must be labelled with an adhesive label indicating FAILED APPLIANCE DO NOT USE and immediately withdrawn from use for repair or disposal, and the user will be informed of the reason for its withdrawal.

Issue Number: 1.2

Issue Date: 21/05/2013

Author: Andy Dickinson

Page 7 of 12

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Any items that are stored or are not in regular use must be inspected or tested as appropriate before they are used. Items that are purchased or manufactured in-house must be identified, registered and inspected or tested as appropriate, BEFORE the item is used. It is the duty of the user to ensure that these inspections or tests have been carried out prior to use. Some equipment may fall within Schedule A or Schedule B, but may be difficult to test for operational reasons. Where this is the case, special arrangements need to be made, with the responsible Estates Department, for their inspection and testing. The frequency of inspection and testing will depend upon the likelihood of maintenance being required and the consequence of lack of maintenance. No rigid guidelines can be laid down, but factors influencing the decision will include the following: (a) the environment - equipment installed in a benign environment will suffer less damage than equipment in an arduous environment (b) the users - if the users of equipment report damage as and when it becomes evident, hazards will be avoided. Conversely, if equipment is likely to receive unreported abuse, more frequent inspection and testing may be required. More information on inspection and testing is available in the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) publication, Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment and through the HSE publication, INDG236, Maintaining portable electrical equipment in offices and other low risk environments.

Issue Number: 1.2

Issue Date: 21/05/2013

Author: Andy Dickinson

Page 8 of 12

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Appendix 2 Guidance on the selection and use of Portable Electrical Equipment (including extension leads) Portable Electrical Equipment should only be used for the purpose for which it was intended and in the environment for which it was designed and constructed. To minimise risk, suitable equipment should be selected for use, it should be well maintained and taken out of service immediately it becomes defective. Equipment selection is of paramount importance and the following points should be considered: Battery operated equipment should be used whenever possible, and is exempt from Portable Electrical Equipment inspection and testing. 110v equipment (reduced low voltage) is suitable for building and construction work, outdoor use in good weather, and in workshop type environments. 230v double insulated (and fully insulated) equipment - suitable for use in clean low risk areas. 230v earthed equipment only to be used if double insulated equipment is not available, and to be used only in clean, low risk areas. Consideration should be given to the use of RCD (30mA) protection on power tools. Class I electrical equipment includes appliances and tools, and for such equipment, protection against electric shock is provided by both the provision of basic insulation, and connecting metal parts to the protective conductor in the connecting cable and plug and hence via the socket outlet to the fixed installation wiring and the means of earthing. Class II electrical equipment is equipment in which protection against electric shock is provided by basic insulation and an additional safety precaution such as supplementary insulation, or reinforced insulation. Class III electrical equipment relies for protection against electric shock on supply from a Separated Extra-Low Voltage (SELV) source. However, SELV is also described as Safety Extra-Low Voltage in appliance standards and Separated Extra-Low Voltage in installation standards such as BS7671. Class O and Class OI electrical equipment is allowed only in very specific locations. Such equipment should not be used in normal commercial, industrial or domestic environments. The use of extension leads in domestic (230V/13A) systems should be avoided where ever possible and they should not be connected in series (Daisy Chained). In addition to creating trip and other hazards multiple plug/socket connections and extension leads create contact resistances and earth leakages that may trip Residual Current Devices(RCDs) and Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs) If used,
Issue Number: 1.2 Issue Date: 21/05/2013 Author: Andy Dickinson Page 9 of 12

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

they should be tested as portable appliances and have three core leads (including a protective earthing conductor). The length of an extension lead should not exceed the following: Core area 1.25 mm2 1.5 mm2 Maximum length 12 metres 15 metres

Care must be taken when using cable reels to ensure that they are only used in their unreeled state to prevent over heating and a potential source of ignition for a fire.

Issue Number: 1.2

Issue Date: 21/05/2013

Author: Andy Dickinson

Page 10 of 12

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Appendix 3 Training Requirements

Role Competent Portable Electrical Equipment inspectors and testers Suitable course: Initial Training 1 day Refresher 1 day Frequency Every 5 years

Certificate In Portable Appliance Testing - City & Guilds 237702

Issue Number: 1.2

Issue Date: 21/05/2013

Author: Andy Dickinson

Page 11 of 12

Note - This document may have been superseded by a more recent version. Please check the SHE website for the most up-to-date version of this document.

Appendix 4
Ref 1 (Section 4.3.2) 2 (Section 4.1.1) 3 (Section 4.1.2)

Audit Checklist
Item Does all Portable Electrical Equipment have dated test labels? Are Portable Electrical Equipment inspectors / testers suitably qualified and competent? Is there a register of Departmental Portable Electrical Equipment inspectors / testers suitably qualified and competent? Is site register of Portable Electrical Equipment up to date? Has annual Schedule A test been undertaken? Has 4 yearly Schedule B test been undertaken? Has faulty or unsuitable portable electrical equipment been removed from use to a secure location awaiting repair or disposal? Rating Comments

4 (Section 4.1.4) 5 (Section 4.1.3) 6 (Section 4.1.3) 7 (Section 4.3.4)

Issue Number: 1.2

Issue Date: 21/05/2013

Author: Andy Dickinson

Page 12 of 12