´óÏó´«Ã½

The responsibilities and involvement of Production Managers may vary considerably depending on the scale of the production. It could be simply selecting or appointing competent persons to undertake the work on a larger production right down to being the responsible person for electrical safety on a small and simple location shoot, interview or piece to camera.

As a principal duty holder, PMs need to ensure the workplace is safe for everyone and this includes the requirement to ensure it is electrically safe. As an example, it is common to get scaffolding or other temporary structures put together by competent contractors and signed off before letting people use it. In the same way, it is important to ensure temporary electrical systems are put together by competent people and signed-off as being safe to use.

It is important to know that just because electrical equipment works, it doesn’t follow that the system will be safe in the event of a fault occurring. It is very easy to assemble a working system, but a higher level of skill and knowledge is required to ensure safety.

Not all systems require significant electrical skill. Basic checks such as making sure cables and equipment aren’t damaged, PAT labels are in date and protective RCDs (if fitted) work are all quite straightforward. The amount of skill required depends on the scale of the production. The graphic below gives an indication of what level of electrical co-ordination may be required for different events. On larger events the temporary power standard BS 7909 requires a ‘Senior Person Responsible’ (SPR) to be appointed in order to manage the electrical safety across an event.

What Can Go Wrong?

Electricity is required for almost every work activity and is present in all workplaces. Appropriately managed it is quite safe, but faults and poor electrical designs are attributable to thousands of fires each year as well as many electric shocks. Some common hazards are as follows:

• Fires can occur if electrical equipment (including wiring) develops a fault or circuits are overloaded
• Contact with electricity through 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
• Electrical circuit protection may not work properly if the electrical system is not properly designed
• Earthing systems need to be effective and co-ordinated if there are multiple contractors or electrical supplies (e.g. generators)
• Some electrical problems (e.g. poor design) may only become apparent when there is a fault.

Legal/´óÏó´«Ã½ Requirements

• Electrical systems have to comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. This places requirements on duty holders to ensure that electrical systems are designed managed and maintained by those with sufficient skills, knowledge and experience.
• The ´óÏó´«Ã½ expects all temporary electrical systems to comply with the IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) – often known as ‘The 18th Edition’ or ‘Wiring Regs’.
• Temporary electrical systems, no matter how small, also need to comply with BS 7909, a code of practice for temporary electrical systems published by BSI. This standard is primarily about management of temporary systems.
• PMs should review the work and decide what level of electrical management is required as follows:

A. Single operator ENG; simple One Show event on the piazza outside NBH. Basic user-checks required.

B. Studio set-up, mostly using permanent infrastructure. Crew should do user checks and have basic electrical awareness training

C. Small sports OB (e.g. small football match) with two or three contractors. Electrical safety management responsibilities shared and co-ordinated between parties; SPR may not be needed.

D. Larger event (e.g. referendum debate, Wembley Arena), several contractors involved, co-ordination required, likely to require SPR to be appointed (may be an Engineering Manager)

E. Big event, multiple contractors, significant planning required (Olympics, Radio 1 big weekend) 

General Requirements

• The dangers that electricity can create will, under most foreseeable situations, be removed or reduced to an acceptable level by following the requirements of the Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) and BS 7909. On risk assessments the control measure for electrical hazards is to ensure that a system has been planned, designed and tested in accordance with these standards.
• Checking equipment is tested or has PAT records, while important, is not sufficient to ensure electrical safety on a production. It is easy to connect safe equipment together in a manner that prevents protective devices from working.
• Those managing electrical systems must be sufficiently competent to do so. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ has competency requirements for those working on electrical systems detailed in Electrical Competencies (see links page).
• All temporary electrical systems must be designed where necessary and tested with the relevant paper work completed – examples of completed certificates can be downloaded (see sidebar).
• Ensure that crew conduct user-checks on equipment before being deployed.
• Lighting is not the only department using power. The obligation extends to all those using or supplying electrical equipment in whatever quantity or scale.
• Do not leave systems unattended when powered up unless suitable measures have been put in place to isolate the system in the event of a problem.
• If using mobile or transportable units such as portacabins, production office trailers or OB vehicles, ensure they come with an electrical installation certificate or an Electrical Installation condition Report (EICR). It should be dated within the last two years
• If any electrical wiring is done on-site, such as wiring up practicals or lighting on sets, it must be tested and documented by someone suitable competent (see sidebar for guidance)
• Consider additional or unusual risks associated with the deployment of the electrical system, such as rigging equipment at height, working in hot locations, near water or using supplies in other countries. (See guidance on assessing electrical risk pages)
• Plan for resilience of the system in the event of bad weather or other environmental factors. It may be as simple as turning everything off, or on a big production ensuring program output is maintained as far as reasonably practical. (see links page for lightning guidance)
• Make sure the correct equipment is selected for the job e.g. weatherproof connectors for outside use, not domestic style plugs and sockets.
• All cables to be appropriately routed and/or protected to reduce trip hazard and lighting or other stands secured to avoid movement. Rubber mats do not provide mechanical protection for cables, they only reduce the trip hazard. Cables routed across access/egress routes should be in proper cable ramps.
• Excess electric cable should not be left coiled as this can lead to overheating in the cable (this does not apply to signal or camera cables).
• Consider members of the public when cabling and siting equipment, particularly ones who may have mobility or sight impairment

Division Specific Issues

• No Division specific Issues 

FAQ/s Did You Know 

• No FAQ's