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Electricitycankillorseverelyinjurepeopleandcausedamagetoproperty.However,youcantakesimple
precautionswhenworkingwithornearelectricityandelectricalequipmenttosignificantlyreducetheriskof
injurytoyou,yourworkersandothersaroundyou.Thissectionprovidesasummaryofthoseprecautions.
Casestudy
Whatarethehazards?
Themainhazardsofworkingwithelectricityare:
electricshockandburnsfromcontactwithliveparts
injuryfromexposuretoarcing,firefromfaultyelectricalequipmentorinstallations
explosioncausedbyunsuitableelectricalapparatusorstaticelectricityignitingflammablevapoursordusts,for
exampleinaspraypaintbooth
Electricshockscanalsoleadtoothertypesofinjury,forexamplebycausingafallfromladdersorscaffoldsetc.
WhatdoIhavetodo?
Youmustensureanassessmenthasbeenmadeofanyelectricalhazards,whichcovers:
whocouldbeharmedbythem
howthelevelofriskhasbeenestablished
theprecautionstakentocontrolthatrisk
Theriskassessmentshouldtakeintoconsiderationthetypeofelectricalequipmentused,thewayinwhichitisused
andtheenvironmentthatitisusedin.
Youmustmakesurethattheelectricalinstallationandtheelectricalequipmentis:
suitableforitsintendeduseandtheconditionsinwhichitisoperated
onlyusedforitsintendedpurpose
Inwetsurroundings,unsuitableequipmentcanbecomeliveandmakeitssurroundingslivetoo.Fuses,circuitbreakers
andotherdevicesmustbecorrectlyratedforthecircuittheyprotect.Isolatorsandfuseboxcasesshouldbekept
closedand,ifpossible,locked.
Cables,plugs,socketsandfittingsmustberobustenoughandadequatelyprotectedfortheworkingenvironment.
Ensurethatmachineryhasanaccessibleswitchorisolatortocutoffthepowerquicklyinanemergency.
Maintenance
Sofarasisreasonablypracticable,youmustmakesurethatelectricalequipmentandinstallationsaremaintainedto
preventdanger.
Usersofelectricalequipment,includingportableappliances,shouldcarryoutvisualchecks.Removetheequipment
fromuseimmediatelyandcheckit,repairitorreplaceitif:
theplugorconnectorisdamaged
thecablehasbeenrepairedwithtape,isnotsecure,orinternalwiresarevisibleetc
burnmarksorstainsarepresent(suggestingoverheating)
Repairsshouldonlybecarriedoutbyacompetentperson(someonewhohasthenecessaryskills,knowledgeand
experiencetocarryouttheworksafely).
Havemorefrequentchecksforitemsmorelikelytobecomedamaged(egportableelectricaltoolsandequipmentthat
isregularlymoved,orusedfrequentlyorinarduousenvironments).Lessfrequentchecksareneededforequipment
lesslikelytobecomedamaged(egdesktopcomputersetc).
Visualchecksarenotusuallynecessaryforsmall,batterypowereditems,orforequipmentthatworksfromamains
poweredadaptor(laptopsorcordlessphonesetc).However,themainspoweredadaptorforsuchequipmentshouldbe
visuallychecked.
Considerwhetherelectricalequipment,includingportableappliances,shouldbemoreformallyinspectedortestedbya
competentperson.Alsothinkabouttheintervalsatwhichthisshouldbedone.
AnHSEleafletMaintainingportableelectricalequipmentinlowriskenvironmentscanhelpyoudecidewhetherand
whentotestportableappliancesinlowriskenvironments.
Makearrangementsforinspectingandtestingfixedwiringinstallations,iethecircuitsfromthemeterandconsumer
unitsupplyinglightswitches,sockets,wiredinequipment(egcookers,hairdryers)etc,tobecarriedoutregularlyso
thereislittlechanceofdeteriorationleadingtodanger.Thisworkshouldnormallybecarriedoutbyacompetent
person,usuallyanelectrician
Whenissomeonecompetenttodoelectricalwork?
Inthiscontext,acompetentpersonissomeonewhohasthesuitabletraining,skillandknowledgeforthetasktobe
undertakentopreventinjurytothemselvesandothers.
Asuccessfullycompletedelectricalapprenticeship,withsomepostapprenticeshipexperience,isonewayof
demonstratingtechnicalcompetenceforgeneralelectricalwork.
Morespecialisedwork,suchasmaintenanceofhighvoltageswitchgearorcontrolsystemmodification,isalmost
certainlylikelytorequireadditionaltrainingandexperience.
Keypointstoremember
Ensurethatworkersknowhowtousetheelectricalequipmentsafely
Makesureenoughsocketsareavailable.Checkthatsocketoutletsarenotoverloadedbyusingunfusedadaptors
asthiscancausefires
Ensuretherearenotrailingcablesthatcancausepeopletotriporfall
Switchoffandunplugappliancesbeforecleaningoradjustingthem
Ensureeveryonelooksforelectricalwires,cablesorequipmentnearwheretheyaregoingtoworkandcheck
forsignswarningofdangersfromelectricity,oranyotherhazard.Checksshouldbemadearoundthejob,and
rememberthatelectricalcablesmaybewithinwalls,floorsandceilings(especiallywhendrillingintothese
locations)etc
Makesureanyoneworkingwithelectricityhassufficientskills,knowledgeandexperiencetodoso.Incorrectly
wiringaplugcanbedangerousandleadtofatalaccidentsorfires
Stopusingequipmentimmediatelyifitappearstobefaultyhaveitcheckedbyacompetentperson
Ensureanyelectricalequipmentbroughttoworkbyemployees,oranyhiredorborrowed,issuitableforuse
beforeusingitandremainssuitablebybeingmaintainedasnecessary
Considerusingaresidualcurrentdevice(RCD)betweentheelectricalsupplyandtheequipment,especiallywhen
workingoutdoors,orwithinawetorconfinedplace(seeHSE'selectricalsafetyatworksite)
Overheadelectriclines
Beawareofthedangersofworkingnearorunderneathoverheadpowerlines.Electricitycanflashoverfromthem,
eventhoughmachineryorequipmentmaynottouchthem
Dontworkunderthemwhenequipment(egladders,acranejib,atipperlorrybodyorascaffoldpole)couldcome
withinaminimumofsixmetresofapowerlinewithoutgettingadvice.Speaktothelineowner,egtheelectricity
company,railwaycompanyortramoperator,beforeanyworkbegins
Undergroundcables
Alwaysassumecableswillbepresentwhendigginginthestreet,pavementand/ornearbuildings
Consultlocalelectricitycompaniesandserviceplanstoidentifywherecablesarelocated
Findoutmore
HSE'selectricalsafetyatworksite
Thelaw
ElectricityatWorkRegulations1989