What are the risks from electricity?

Harm can be caused to any person when they are exposed to live
parts that are either touched directly or indirectly by means of some
conducting object or material. Voltages over 50 volts AC or 120 volts
DC are considered hazardous.
Electricity can kill. Each year about 1000 accidents at work involving
electric shocks or burns are reported to the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE). Around 30 of these are fatal, most of them arising
from contact with overhead or underground power cables.
Shocks from faulty equipment can cause severe and permanent
injury and can also lead to indirect injuries, due to falls from ladders,
scaffolds, or other work platforms.
Faulty electrical appliances can also lead to fires. As well as causing
injuries and loss of life, fires cause damage to plant, equipment and
property.
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Who is most at risk from electricity?

Anyone can be exposed to the dangers of electricity while at work
and everyone should be made aware of the dangers.
Those most at risk include maintenance staff, those working with
electrical plant, equipment and machinery, and people working in
harsh environments such as construction sites.
Most electrical accidents occur because individuals:

are working on or near equipment which is thought to be dead but which is, in fact,
live

are working on or near equipment which is known to be live, but where those
involved are without adequate training or appropriate equipment, or they have not taken
adequate precautions
misuse equipment or use electrical equipment which they know to be faulty.

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Legal duties and obligations around electricity

As well as a moral duty on employers to protect employees and
members of the public, General Health and Safety
Legislation covers all employers and workplaces.
In addition, specific duties and obligations are laid out in the
following regulations:
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 These regulations
apply to all aspects of the use of electricity within the workplace
from electrical supplies to the use of electrical equipment. They
place a duty on employers, employees and the self-employed to:

have the electrical systems constructed in a way that prevents danger

maintain their electrical systems as necessary to prevent danger

have work on, use of, or closure of, electrical systems carried out in a way that
prevents danger.

Additionally:

electrical equipment used in hazardous environments (e.g. extremes of weather,

temperature, corrosive conditions) must be constructed or protected to prevent it
becoming dangerous

only those with adequate knowledge or experience, or who are under adequate
supervision should work with, or on, electrical equipment that could cause danger or
injury.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous

Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) These regulations
cover the reporting of certain incidents, including those involving
electricity.
You must notify the enforcing authority immediately by telephone
using the Incident Reporting Line 0845 300 9923 or via the Health
and Safety Executive's Incident Report page (external site)
The following incidents must be reported:

injury to staff due to an electric shock or electrical burn leading to unconsciousness

or requiring resuscitation; or admittance to hospital

electrical short circuit or overload causing fire or explosion

plant or equipment coming into contact with overhead power lines.

To view the full text of the above legislation online, please follow the
links under Legislation.
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Assessing the risks from electricity

Consider the following hazards in your risk assessment:
Live parts Normal mains voltage, 230 volts AC, can kill. Also,
contact with live parts can cause shocks and burns.
Fire Electrical faults can cause fires. This is particularly true where
the equipment contains a heat source (e.g. heaters, including water
heaters, washing machines, ovens, heat-seal packaging
equipment).
Flammable or explosive atmospheres Electricity can be a
source of ignition in a potentially flammable or explosive
atmosphere, e.g. in spray paint booths or around refuelling areas.
Where and how electricity is used The risks from
electricity are greatest in harsh conditions.
In wet conditions, unsuitable equipment can easily become live
and can make its surroundings live.
While outdoors, equipment may not only become wet but may be
at greater risk of damage.
In cramped or confined spaces with a lot of earthed metalwork,
such as inside tanks, ducts and silos, if an electrical fault develops it
can be very difficult to avoid a shock.
Types of equipment in use Some items of equipment can
also involve greater risk than others. Extension leads are
particularly liable to damage to their plugs and sockets, cables, and
electrical connections. Other flexible leads, particularly those

connected to equipment that is moved a great deal, can suffer from

similar problems.
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Basic electrical safety

Below are some minimum steps you should take to ensure electrical
safety.
Mains supplies

install new electrical systems to BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations

maintain all electrical installations in good working order

provide enough socket-outlets for equipment in use

avoid overloading socket-outlets using adaptors can cause fires

provide an accessible and clearly identified switch ('Emergency Off' or 'EMO' button)
near fixed machinery to cut off power in an emergency

for portable equipment, connect to nearby socket-outlets so that it can be easily

disconnected in an emergency.

Use the right equipment

choose electrical equipment that is suitable for its working environment

ensure that equipment is safe when supplied and maintain it in a safe condition

electrical equipment used in flammable/explosive atmospheres should be designed

not to produce sparks. Seek specialist advice when choosing this type of equipment.

protect light bulbs and other easily damaged equipment there is a risk of electric
shock if they are broken.

Maintenance and repairs

ensure equipment is fitted with the correctly rated fuse.

ensure cable ends always have their outer sheaths firmly clamped to stop wires
working loose from plugs or inside equipment

replace damaged sections of cable completely never repair cuts with insulating
tape.

use proper connectors to join lengths of cable don't use connector blocks covered in
insulating tape or 'splice' wires by twisting them together

some equipment is double insulated. These are often marked with a double-square
symbol. The supply leads have only two wires live (brown) and neutral (blue)

make sure all wires are connected securely if the 13A plug is not a moulded-on type.

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Good practices:
Use other forms of power where possible Electrical risks
can sometimes be eliminated by using air, hydraulic or handpowered tools. These are especially useful in harsh conditions, but
remember they could introduce other hazards.
Reduce the voltage Using lower voltages can reduce or
eliminate the risks of electric shocks and burns:

portable tools are available which can be run from a 110 volts, centre-tapped-toearth supply, (usually from a transformer)

where electrically powered tools are used, battery-operated are safest

temporary lighting can be run at lower voltages, e.g. 12, 25, 50 or 110 volts.

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Use Residual Current Devices (RCDs) for extra
safety An RCD can provide additional safety. An RCD detects
some (but not all) faults in the electrical system and rapidly switches
off the supply.
The best place for an RCD is built into the main supply or the
socket-outlet, as this means that the supply cables are permanently
protected.
If this is not possible, use a plug incorporating an RCD or a plug-in
RCD adaptor. RCDs for protecting people have a rated tripping
current (sensitivity) of not more than 30 milliamps (mA).
Remember:

an RCD is a valuable safety device never bypass it

if the RCD trips, it is a sign there is a fault. Check the system before using it again.

if the RCD trips frequently and no fault can be found in the system, consult the
manufacturer of the RCD
use the RCD test button regularly to check that its mechanism is free and functioning.

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Maintain your electrical equipment and
installations All electrical equipment and installations should be
maintained to prevent danger. This should include an appropriate
system of formal visual inspection, and where necessary, testing.
Most faults can usually be identified by an informal visual
inspection. It is important that before an item is used a check is
made on the plug, cable, cable-entry or input socket and the casing
of the equipment.
If a fault is identified, the item should be removed from use and
repaired before being used again. Staff should be trained to carry
out these simple visual checks.
There should also be a system where formal visual inspections are
carried out and recorded, backed up by a system of Portable
Appliance Testing (PAT) where appropriate.
There is a misconception that this testing should be carried out
annually, but the legislation requires employers to decide on the
frequency of testing based on their risk assessment.
Factors to consider include:

type of equipment

where equipment is used

is equipment portable or transportable?

is it used in a harsh environment?

Fixed installations should also be inspected and tested periodically

by a competent person. Records of the results of inspection and
testing can be useful in assessing the effectiveness of the system.
More detailed guidance is available in the booklets listed in further
information.
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Work safely Make sure that people working with electricity
are competent to do the job. Even simple tasks such as wiring a
plug can lead to danger - ensure that people know what they are
doing before they start.
Make sure that:

suspect or faulty equipment is taken out of use immediately

suspect or faulty equipment is labelled DO NOT USE

suspect or faulty equipment is kept secure until examined by a competent person

where possible, tools and power socket-outlets are switched off before plugging in or
unplugging
equipment is switched off and/or unplugged before cleaning or making adjustments
where possible, all electrical appliances are switched off at the mains at the end of
the working day.

More complicated tasks, such as equipment repairs or

alterations to an electrical installation, should only be tackled by
people with knowledge of the risks and the precautions needed.
Work on exposed live parts of equipment and systems must
not be carried out 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.
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Underground and overhead electrical supplies

Always assume supplies are live unless it is confirmed otherwise by

a competent person or utility company. Use plans and cableavoiding tools to locate cables. Have overhead lines switched off if
possible or maintain safe distances from the lines for plant and
equipment.
More detailed guidance on avoidance of danger from underground
and overhead electric lines is available from the Health and Safety
Executive.

Electricity can kill or severely injure people and cause damage to property.
However, you can take simple precautions when working with or near electricity
and electrical equipment to significantly reduce the risk of injury to you, your
workers and others around you. This section provides a summary of those
precautions.
Case study

What are the hazards?

The main hazards of working with electricity are:

electric shock and burns from contact with live parts

injury from exposure to arcing, fire from faulty electrical equipment or installations

explosion caused by unsuitable electrical apparatus or static electricity igniting

flammable vapours or dusts, for example in a spray paint booth
Electric shocks can also lead to other types of injury, for example by causing a fall from ladders or
scaffolds etc.

What do I have to do?

You must ensure an assessment has been made of any electrical hazards, which covers:

who could be harmed by them

how the level of risk has been established

the precautions taken to control that risk

The risk assessment should take into consideration the type of electrical equipment used, the way in
which it is used and the environment that it is used in.
You must make sure that the electrical installation and the electrical equipment is:

suitable for its intended use and the conditions in which it is operated

only used for its intended purpose

In wet surroundings, unsuitable equipment can become live and make its surroundings live too. Fuses,
circuit-breakers and other devices must be correctly rated for the circuit they protect. Isolators and fusebox cases should be kept closed and, if possible, locked.
Cables, plugs, sockets and fittings must be robust enough and adequately protected for the working
environment. Ensure that machinery has an accessible switch or isolator to cut off the power quickly in an
emergency.

Maintenance
So far as is reasonably practicable , you must make sure that electrical equipment and installations
are maintained to prevent danger.
Users of electrical equipment, including portable appliances, should carry out visual checks. Remove the
equipment from use immediately and check it, repair it or replace it if:

the plug or connector is damaged

the cable has been repaired with tape, is not secure, or internal wires are visible etc

burn marks or stains are present (suggesting overheating)

Repairs should only be carried out by a competent person (someone who has the necessary skills,
knowledge and experience to carry out the work safely).
Have more frequent checks for items more likely to become damaged (eg portable electrical tools and
equipment that is regularly moved, or used frequently or in arduous environments). Less frequent checks
are needed for equipment less likely to become damaged (eg desktop computers etc).
Visual checks are not usually necessary for small, battery-powered items, or for equipment that works
from a mains-powered adaptor (laptops or cordless phones etc). However, the mains-powered adaptor for
such equipment should be visually checked.

Consider whether electrical equipment, including portable appliances, should be more formally inspected
or tested by a competent person. Also think about the intervals at which this should be done.
An HSE leaflet Maintaining portable electrical equipment in low-risk environments can help you
decide whether and when to test portable appliances in low-risk environments.
Make arrangements for inspecting and testing fixed wiring installations, ie the circuits from the meter and
consumer unit supplying light switches, sockets, wired-in equipment (eg cookers, hairdryers) etc, to be
carried out regularly so there is little chance of deterioration leading to danger. This work should normally
be carried out by a competent person, usually an electrician

When is someone competent to do electrical work?

In this context, a competent person is someone who has the suitable training, skill and knowledge for the
task to be undertaken to prevent injury to themselves and others.
A successfully completed electrical apprenticeship, with some post-apprenticeship experience, is one way
of demonstrating technical competence for general electrical work.
More specialised work, such as maintenance of high-voltage switchgear or control system modification, is
almost certainly likely to require additional training and experience.

Key points to remember

Ensure that workers know how to use the electrical equipment safely

Make sure enough sockets are available. Check that socket outlets are not
overloaded by using unfused adaptors as this can cause fires

Ensure there are no trailing cables that can cause people to trip or fall

Switch off and unplug appliances before cleaning or adjusting them

Ensure everyone looks for electrical wires, cables or equipment near where they are
going to work and check forsigns warning of dangers from electricity, or any other hazard.
Checks should be made around the job, and remember that electrical cables may be
within walls, floors and ceilings (especially when drilling into these locations) etc

Make sure anyone working with electricity has sufficient skills, knowledge and
experience to do so. Incorrectly wiring a plug can be dangerous and lead to fatal accidents
or fires

Stop using equipment immediately if it appears to be faulty have it checked by a

competent person

Ensure any electrical equipment brought to work by employees, or any hired or

borrowed, is suitable for use before using it and remains suitable by being maintained as
necessary

Consider using a residual current device (RCD) between the electrical supply and the
equipment, especially when working outdoors, or within a wet or confined place
(see HSE's electrical safety at work site)

Overhead electric lines

Be aware of the dangers of working near or underneath overhead power lines.

Electricity can flash over from them, even though machinery or equipment may not touch
them

Dont work under them when equipment (eg ladders, a crane jib, a tipper-lorry body
or a scaffold pole) could come within a minimum of six metres of a power line without
getting advice. Speak to the line owner, eg the electricity company, railway company or
tram operator, before any work begins

Underground cables

Always assume cables will be present when digging in the street, pavement and/or
near buildings

Consult local electricity companies and service plans to identify where cables are
located