Electrical Safety in the office

Electricity is fundamental to us all. We use it constantly in business – to power our phones and laptops, run our computers, printers and phones. To make hot drinks and prepare food. Even to secure our buildings. We literally cannot do business without it. But it is also one of the most dangerous things in any business.

In the UK last year, electricity was responsible for around 19,300 accidental domestic fires.

In the office, there’s less call for fridge/freezers and tumble dryers but that doesn’t mean office owners and managers can afford to be complacent.

Main hazards in the office tend to come from faulty or defective equipment, unsafe installations or the misuse of electrical equipment.

Legislation on electricity in the workplace

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 creates a legal obligation for employers to keep employees safe from electrical incidents in the workplace. While the regulations place responsibility for the safety of electrical use in the workplace firmly on the shoulders of the employer, they do acknowledge that employees must play their part in keeping everyone safe too.

There are three broad provisions that we need to be mindful of:

• The Regulations state that the employer must ensure that the equipment they provide to protect people from electrical hazards is fully maintained.

2. The Regulations also provide that the capability of any electrical equipment is not exceeded.
3. And thirdly, The Regulations confer a legal duty on all employers to make sure that any portable electrical equipment is in safe condition.

What is meant by portable electrical equipment?

Portable electrical equipment includes any devices with a cable and plug that can be disconnected from the power supply and moved, rather than items hard-wired into the wall.

Portable electrical equipment may include office items like telephones, laptops, and lamps but will also include kitchen equipment like water heaters or kettles, coffee machines and toasters.

PAT testing

PAT testing, also referred to Portable Appliance Testing involves checking the safety of electrical appliances and also helps employers demonstrate that they are meeting their legal obligations.

A PAT test is carried out by a qualified engineer who conducts an initial visual inspection of your electrical appliances. Then, for any devices with an earth conductor such as a kettle or a toaster or laptop, they will inject test signals into the cable and the appliance to ensure that both are safe and the electricity within them behaves as it should.

Once your PAT testing is complete, you’ll receive a full report and an inventory of the appliances tested. This should include their locations and descriptions, and a full set of test results for each.

Each appliance will be labelled with:

• A pass or fail mark

• Details of when the next inspection is due

• The inspector’s signature.

What can you do to keep your electrics safe?

Many injuries or incidents caused by electricity are as a result of damaged wires. By keeping wires protected in cable trunking or other cable management solutions such as cable snakes and spines, you can reduce the likelihood of cables and wires becoming damaged and posing a risk.

You can find a wide range of cable trunking, cable snakes, and cable spines on our website at www.box15.co.uk. Or, if you have any specific questions, the Box15 team are always on hand to help. Simply, contact our team using our online chat at www.box15.co.uk.