This guidance covers the dangers of electricity, the checks from user to formal test, the warning signs in plugs and cables and what to do after a shock.

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Further Reading

Further guidance on electrical safety:

• Electrical Safety at Work
• Management of Work Equipment
• Managing Equipment and Premises knowledge base

How to Download

These files are included in the alphaZ subscription. The training talk is also included in the ISO 45001 Toolkit and the integrated toolkits that include it.

Need Help Implementing?

If you'd like hands-on help setting up electrical inspection and testing records for your equipment, our remote support services provide direct expert input from our team, by the day, by project, or on an ongoing basis.

Electrical Safety Guidance

A general guidance document on electrical safety, for everyone who uses electrical equipment at work. It explains the dangers of electricity, how electrical equipment is tested and maintained, the danger signs to look for in plugs, sockets and cables, simple dos and don'ts, and what to do if someone receives an electric shock.

Topics Covered

• The dangers of electricity - shock and burns from live parts, faults that could cause fire, and ignition of flammable or explosive atmospheres
• Working on or near live parts - the narrow conditions under which work on or near exposed live conductors is allowed, with precautions in place
• Testing and maintenance - a suitable system of maintenance, and taking damaged or defective equipment out of use until repaired or disposed of
• Plugs and sockets - warning signs such as hot plugs, scorch marks, fuses that often blow, flickering lights, bad wiring and overloaded sockets
• Cables and leads - frayed or damaged cables, and cables left near water or heat, where someone could trip, or under rugs
• Dos and don'ts - unplugging before servicing, limiting use in cold or damp rooms, and switching off at the main switch after a spill
• If someone gets a shock - not touching the person or equipment, switching off the power first, calling for help and only then giving first aid

Who Is It For?

All workers who use electrical equipment, and those competent to inspect, test or work on it.

Included in the ISO 45001 Toolkit

This guidance is supplied with the TT-7-13 Electrical Safety training talk, which is part of the ISO 45001 Toolkit and the integrated toolkits that include it.

Using the Guidance

Issue it at induction and keep it as a reference for pre-use checks and reporting electrical faults. Record who has received it, for example on the training matrix.

Checks From User to Formal Test

The guidance describes a suitable system of maintenance in layers. Users make pre-use checks for loose cables or signs of burning. Someone with more knowledge carries out a visual inspection, looking inside the plug for damage, bare wires and the correct fuse. Where needed, a formal inspection and test is done by someone with the knowledge and experience to carry it out and interpret the results.

Adapting the Guidance

Edit the guidance to match your own arrangements - who workers report electrical faults to, who carries out visual inspections and formal testing, and where the main switch or circuit breaker is.

Related Documents

Other documents that work alongside this guidance:

• PP-7-13 Electrical Safety Policy Procedure
• RA-HS118 Electricity at Work Fixed Installations
• F-Q34 Equipment Visual Inspection Record
• GG-1-06 Management of Equipment and Premises
• GG-7-02 Safe Use of Equipment