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This Safety Guideline gives general guidance on use of electricity and electrical equipment when working in ´óÏó´«Ã½ Premises. Further information on a range of electrical subjects is available on the links page. It does not cover installing or maintaining fixed electrical systems.

e-bikes and e-scooters are not permitted inside any ´óÏó´«Ã½ building. Please see note below under 'Division Specific Issues' for a further explanation.

What Can Go Wrong?

Electricity can kill or severely injure people and cause damage to property by fire. Effects include:

• Fires if electrical equipment (including wiring) if it develops a fault
• Contact with electricity caused by damaged equipment can cause electrical shock and/or burns
• Faults with mains electrical systems can develop a tremendous amount of energy in a short time - so much so that it actually causes explosions
• Electrical protection devices can be rendered useless by long cables or the wrong equipment
• Using electrical equipment in higher risk environments: wet, damp, humid, dusty conditions, increases the hazards significantly
• Fires and burns from contact with hot surfaces
• Batteries can start and sustain fires if the terminals are shorted together

Legal/´óÏó´«Ã½ Requirements

Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 state that you must not allow work on or near exposed, live parts of equipment unless it is absolutely unavoidable and suitable precautions have been taken to prevent injury, both to the workers and to anyone else who may be in the area. It also requires that electrical systems and equipment is maintained in a safe state. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ requires electrical equipment to be inspected and tested in accordance with the guidance detailed in ´óÏó´«Ã½ Safety of electrical equipment.

You must disconnect electrical equipment (not just turn it off) if you believe there is a fault.

Control Measures

• Fixed electrical systems in ´óÏó´«Ã½ buildings are installed, inspected and maintained by competent contractors through the facilities management supply chain. If you suspect any problems report this to your local FM immediately and keep people away. Only try and isolate equipment if it is safe to do so. If in doubt, leave alone.
• FM contractors need to ensure that agreed timescales are in place for periodic inspection and testing
• Personal and contributors (including freelancers) equipment should also be checked. See the page on Bringing your own equipment or contact your local FM team to arrange testing.
• Electrical equipment is designed to be electrically safe when new but can become dangerous if damaged or incorrectly maintained, so it is a requirement that equipment is checked regularly
  • Most electrical equipment used in ´óÏó´«Ã½ buildings is covered by periodic inspection and testing routine (i.e. ‘PAT testing). This requires periodic checks to ensure electrical items, their supply plugs and leads have not become worn or damaged to allow contact with hazardous voltages. Items such as extension leads are particularly liable to damage to their plugs sockets connections and the cable itself.
• There are simple checks which everyone should do to help make sure their equipment is safe. Look out for:
  • damage to the lead including fraying, cuts or heavy scuffing, e.g. from floor box covers;
  • damage to the plug, e.g. to the cover or bent pins;
  • tape applied to the lead to join leads together;
  • coloured wires visible where the lead joins the plug (the cable is not being gripped where it enters the plug);
  • damage to the outer cover of the equipment itself, including loose parts or screws;
  • signs of overheating, such as burn marks or staining on the plug, lead or piece of equipment; Or equipment that just feels unusually hot.
  • equipment that has been used or stored in unsuitable conditions, such as wet or dusty environments or where water spills are possible; and
  • cables trapped under furniture or in floor boxes.
• Remove damaged or defective equipment from use and arrange to get it repaired or replaced
• Don't undertake even simple repairs yourself (even replacing a mains plug). Your department may have specific arrangements for the repair and maintenance of electrical equipment, if not contact the IT team or your local Facilities Team. 
• For temporary electrical systems in studios or on location, see the page on Temporary Electrical Systems

Division Specific Issues

´óÏó´«Ã½ Workplace is responsible for inspection and test for the fixed electrical supply and infrastructure in ´óÏó´«Ã½ buildings. Each division/department is responsible for its own electrical and IT equipment and has systems in place to ensure that appropriate checks are in place. The facilities management teams can arrange for the inspection and testing (Portable Appliance Tests) of equipment that you plug into the building supply.

Lithium-Ion Battery Charging & Storage (e-bikes and e-scooters)

The storage and charging of personal e-bikes and e-scooters is not permitted inside any ´óÏó´«Ã½ building. Storage and charging is only allowed via designated fire-safe areas such as secure external bike storage areas. Workplace are continuing to assess across the ´óÏó´«Ã½ estate to identify where further provisions for charging points can be made.

NOTE: Mobility scooters provided for disabled staff are permitted inside ´óÏó´«Ã½ buildings. The chargers for these have been tested and approved and are plugged into specific charging points that can be isolated. These have been provided for that single purpose only, not for general use.

Responsibilities of Engineering departments

Where there is doubt or concern, then the technical production team can call upon an Engineer to assess the equipment for electrical safety and provide advice as to whether it is fit for use.

Non-´óÏó´«Ã½ Equipment including personal equipment and musical instruments

Performers, make-up artists, musicians or similar have the same duties to ensure their electrical appliances are safe to use. It should have evidence of portable appliance testing such as a PAT label. For more information see the page on Bringing your own equipment.

Key points:

• Check that equipment from foreign suppliers is safe to use on UK supplies and voltages.
• All equipment should be supplied via an RCD or, where not possible, a safety isolating transformer under the control of an electrically skilled person.
• If equipment is, or is suspected to be unsafe, it should not be used.

Electrical Safety Guidance Notes (EGNs)

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ has previously published a series of electrical safety guidance notes. These are too technical to be of use to the majority of ´óÏó´«Ã½ users and have been withdrawn from this site. They are held in on an archive on the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Safety Teamsite, if you have a specific need to consult these then please contact ´óÏó´«Ã½ Safety. However, you should note that there is no mechanism to keep these updated or reviewed.

FAQs/Did You Know?

• Excessively long extension leads (particularly those daisy-chained together) can stop safety devices such as circuit breakers and fuses from working.
• Around 95% of electrical faults or damage can be found just by looking (visual inspection).
• Battery powered appliances reduce the risks associated with electricity significantly, but don’t remove them completely.
• Although the risk of electric shock from battery powered devices is generally low, batteries (particularly modern lithium ones) can store a lot of energy. When the terminals are shorted, the battery damaged or disposed of inappropriately or charged badly, that energy can start and sustain fires, even without oxygen. Typical fire extinguishers may not provide any help, other than to stop the fire spreading.
• The ´óÏó´«Ã½ has revised it guidance for checking portable electrical appliances – see separate guidance.