Responsibility for the safe operation of
equipment in the workplace rests firmly with the
employer. Although the importance of portable
appliance testing (PAT) in many industrial and
construction environments is well understood,
the same responsibility also applies to the range
of electrical and electronic equipment used in the
wider commercial environment.
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With the HSE reporting around 1,000
workplace electrical accidents and 30
deaths each year, reducing the dangers
associated with the use of unsafe
electrical appliances in the workplace is
of vital importance.
Fires started by poor electrical
installations and faulty appliances also
cause many more deaths and injuries -
and considerable disruption to business
activities.
The Health & Safety At Work Act 1974 puts a duty
of care upon both employer and employee to
ensure the safety of all persons using the work
premises, but the particular legal requirements
relating to the use and maintenance of electrical
equipment are contained in the Electricity at
Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR).
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Regulation 4(2) of the EAWR specifically requires
that all electrical systems be maintained, so far
as reasonably practical, to prevent danger. This
requirement covers all items of electrical
equipment including fixed, portable and
transportable equipment - essentially anything
connected to a building's electrical system with a
plug or cable.
Since the introduction of the EAWR, the EC
Provision of and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1992 (PUWER) also places general
duties on employers and lists minimum
requirements for work equipment to deal with
selected hazards, whatever the industry.
Adlitil Ltd
PAT Testing Services in Sussex