Electricity

• Electricity Emergency!
• Electrical Safety Law
• General Information
• Wiring a Plug
• Further information

Employ a qualified electrician belonging to either of the following@

• the Electrical Contractors Association (ECA) See www.eca.co.uk  
• the National Inspecting Council for Electrical Installing Contractors (NICEIC) See www.niceic.org.uk 

Obtain an ECA or NICEIC Electrical Inspection Certificate.

Electricity Emergency!

• Know where the mains isolator is located
• Ensure you know how to contact your supplier in an emergency

Electrical Safety Law

Businesses have to comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

Display a Treatment of Electric Shock poster.

• The electricity at work regulations 1989.
• The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994. © Crown Copyright. Statutory Instrument 1994 No. 3260 Published by The Stationery Office Limited as the The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994.
  

General Information

• Do not overload electrical sockets: one plug to one socket
• Install extra sockets in preference to adaptors
• Use the correct fuse or fuse wire (never improvise)
• Turn off and unplug faulty equipment
• Cleaning or moving equipment? Turn off and disconnect first!
• Install circuit breakers and do not obstruct isolators
• Protect light bulbs and strip lights with diffuser covers
• Ensure equipment us earthed correctly
• Report all faulty equipment
• Replace frayed and damaged electric wiring
• Provide emergency back up lighting
• Ensure all electrical equipment is tested regularly
• Tested equipment will need to be labelled with a retest date, etc
• If unsure consult a qualified electrician.

Wiring a plug

• The green/yellow wire is the earth and should be at the top.
• The blue wire is the neutral and should be on the left.
• The brown wire is the live and should be on the right nearest the fuse.
• The thick insulation cable should be in the plug and secured by the cord grips.
• The three different wires should not show outside the plug.
• Make sure that you have the correct fuse in place.
• Make sure that there are no loose wires in the plug.
• The screws on the tops pf the pins are firmly secured.
• Ensure the plug cover is firmly secured to the base.
  

Further information

• Guidance for hotels, to prevent danger from the use of portable electrical equipment in hotels and tourist accommodation. 
• Electrical safety and you.  Electricity can kill. Each year about 1000 accidents at work involving electric shock or burns are reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Around 30 of these are fatal.
• Portable table electrical equipment  [PDF file information] Portable electrical equipment in offices and other low-risk environments.

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