HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDANCE MANUAL

Section 4.6 1.13

Electricity at Work Regulations

ELECTRICITY AT WORK REGULATIONS 1989

1. INTRODUCTION The Regulations impose health and safety requirements with respect to electricity at work and came into force on 1st April 1990. They replaced the Electricity (Factories Act) Special Regulations 1908 and 1944. The Regulations were made under the Health and Safety at Work Act and apply to all places of work including shops, offices and laboratories. Their purpose is to establish the general principles for electrical safety. The technical detail can be found partly in the supporting Memorandum of Guidance and more particularly in other authoritative guidance such as BS 7671:1992 Requirements for Electrical Installations, HSC and HSE Guidance, and British, European and International Standards. The Regulations do not apply retrospectively. The introduction to the Memorandum of Guidance states that the Regulations apply to all electrical equipment and systems whenever manufactured, purchased, installed or taken into use. Where electrical equipment pre-dates the Regulations, this does not mean that the continued use of such equipment is prohibited. Much of the equipment to which the Regulations apply will have been made to a standard, such as a British Standard, which has since been modified or superseded. It is likely to be reasonably practicable to replace it with equipment made to a more recent standard when it becomes unsafe or falls due for replacement other than for safety reasons, whichever occurs sooner. Equally, for fixed installations to which BS 7671 is relevant which have been installed in accordance with earlier IEE Wiring Regulations this does not mean that the installation does not comply with the 1989 Regulations.

2.

DUTIES IMPOSED BY THE REGULATIONS The Regulations impose duties upon employers and self-employed persons with regard to: a) b) c) d) the construction and maintenance of electrical systems; the carrying out of work activities (including the operation, use and maintenance of electrical systems and work near electrical systems); the provision of protective equipment; the putting into use of electrical equipment;

Date of Issue: 02/01/08

Page 1 of 2

Revision 1

HEALTH AND SAFETY GUIDANCE MANUAL

Section 4.6 1.13

Electricity at Work Regulations

e)

the construction and protection of electrical equipment which may foreseeably be exposed to adverse or hazardous environments; f) the insulation and protection of, and the taking of precautions in respect of conductors; g) the taking of precautions to prevent danger in respect of certain conductors; h) the placing of any thing which might give rise to danger in any circuit conductor which is connected to earth or to any other reference point; i) the mechanical and electrical suitability for use of joints and connections in electrical systems; j) the protection from excess currents of electrical systems: k) the availability of suitable means of cutting off the supply of electrical energy to, and the isolation of electrical equipment which is not itself a source of electrical energy; and (where necessary) the taking of such other precautions as will, so far as reasonably practicable, prevent danger while work is carried out on or near it as will prevent that equipment from becoming electrically charged; l) the taking of such precautions in respect of electrical equipment which has been made dead in order to prevent danger while work is carried on or near it as will prevent that equipment from becoming electrically charged; m) restrictions on persons being engaged in work activities on or near certain live conductors; n) the provision of adequate working space, adequate lighting and adequate means of access at specified electrical equipment; o) work activities where technical knowledge or experience is necessary to prevent danger or injury;

3.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The Regulations should be read in conjunction with Premier Foods Procedures for Working Safely with Electricity and the Premier Foods Corporate Standard for Property Loss Control. References: 1. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (Statutory Instrument 1989 No. 635). 2. Memorandum of Guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (ISBN 0 11 883963 2 HSE books).

Date of Issue: 02/01/08

Page 2 of 2

Revision 1