INTRODUCTION

Current directives require that all places of employment must now comply with the legislation contained in the following regulations

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The Executive Guidance Note PM32.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992.
Provision and use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992.
IEE Code of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment 3rd Edition.
The 17th Edition Wiring Regulations BS7671:2008

The Electricity at Work regulations came into effect on 1st April 1990. The regulation requires that suitable precautions are taken against the risk of death or personal injury from electricity in work activities. They apply to all employers, and employees, who are now legally required to ensure that electrical equipment is safe and suitable for its intended use. To prove compliance with this requirement, good record systems will need to be kept of the results of regular maintenance and inspection of systems and equipment.

The Need to Record Results

The Electricity at Work regulations, and the Health and Safety Executive guidance notes, on the safety of Portable Electrical Apparatus, stress the need to record test results, preferably throughout the working life of the equipment. Without records of test results, the condition of an appliance cannot be monitored, therefore the duty holder would not be able to, should the occasion arise show that all reasonable steps were taken, and all due diligence exercised to prevent danger arising when the appliance is switched on.

Why Appliance Safety Test

Nearly twenty-five percent of all reportable electrical accidents involve portable equipment. The majority of these accidents result in electric shock; others result in fires mainly caused by faulty leads to appliances. A major cause of such accidents is failure to maintain the equipment. The likelihood of accidents occurring and their severity will vary, depending on the type of electrical equipment, the way in which it is used, and the environment in which it is used.

What Needs Testing?

The term "Portable Appliances" includes all kinds of electrical equipment and is not confined to power tools. It includes such items as electric kettles, floor polishers, angle poise lamps, electric typewriters, computers, televisions, fax machines and most items that plug into 13A sockets.

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