As an employer or business owner, it’s essential to achieve electrical compliance in your premises. It is your legal responsibility to ensure the health and safety of staff and visitors to your site.
Here are some common mistakes organisations make when it comes to electrical compliance.
Not having a fixed wire inspection often enough
One of the most common electrical safety mistakes businesses and enterprises make is not having a fixed wire inspection often enough. How often you should have a fixed wire inspection depends upon the type of enterprise you have. HSE (Health and Safety Executive) recommend an inspection every three or five years, depending upon the risk of your business and the type of installations you have.
They also recommend a routine check annually to identify any potential issues that arise.
Not hiring a professional PAT tester
To save money, some businesses may attempt to carry out portable appliance testing (PAT) themselves. However, HSE decree that people carrying out PAT testing should be appropriately trained and that it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that they are competent for the work.
Significant electrical knowledge, training and experience is required for combined inspection and testing. To ensure testing is carried out accurately, you should hire a trained professional. Testing and inspection will be carried out to a high standard – plus, you will have a verified report to demonstrate your electrical compliance.
Breaching health and safety regulations
Organisations that do not keep up with their electrical compliance responsibilities may be in breach of health and safety regulations. These laws include:
- Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
- Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
- Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
These laws are enforced by HSE.
For example, under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 act, employers are responsible for ensuring the safety of employees and members of the public on site. It also states that employees should not be at risk from their work activities.
It is the duty of the employer to comply with health and safety regulations, and they are liable if an employee or member of the public comes to harm in a building without regular electrical inspections.
Using outdated or defective test equipment
If the person or organisation carrying out your electrical testing is using faulty or old equipment, the results of your inspections may be inaccurate. Signs that your equipment is outdated include unreadable faceplates, inconsistent measurements and loose leads.
Intersafe regularly update their testing equipment to ensure that it gives accurate readings. When new testing equipment is released, we invest in it so that we can continue to provide our clients with the highest quality service.
To discuss your business or organisation’s electrical compliance needs and arrange an inspection, get in touch with the Intersafe team today.
