Electrical Safety at Work

 

Electrical safety at work  Electricity kills and injures people. Around 1000 electrical accidents at work are reported to HSE each year and about 25 people die of their injuries.

Many deaths and injuries arise from: • • • • •

use of poorly maintained electrical equipment; work near overhead power lines; contact with underground power cables during excavation work; mains electricity supplies (230 volt); use of unsuitable electrical equipment in explosive areas such as car paint spraying booths;

Fires started by poor electrical installations and faulty electrical appliances cause many additional deaths and injuries.

These web pages will tell you: • •

The main types of electrical injury and their effects [1]  Information on maintaining electrical equipment safety [2] 

How to prevent electrical injuries: • • •

Simple Precautions[3], Frequently Asked Questions[4] and Information[5] 

Much of the information on these web pages has been summarised to make it suitable for  a wide audience. You should always use the published the published guidance listed[6] on the Information page when deciding how ho w to work safely and meet the requirements of the law

Electrical inspection and testing

 

HSE and other organisations have produced guidance on electrical safety that is suitable for a wide range of industries and technical competencies. The information produced by HSE is either free for immediate download or available ava ilable to order at low cost.

Free • • • •

•

• • • •

Safety in electrical testing at work [270KB] [1]  Safety in electrical testing: Products on production lines [50KB] [2]  Safety in electrical testing: Switchgear and control gear [55KB] [3]  Safety in electrical testing: Servicing and repair of audio, TV and computer equipment [55KB][4]   Safety in electrical testing: Servicing and repair of domestic equipment [55KB] [5]  Beryllium and You [137KB] [6]  Electric Storage Batteries [7]  Electrical Socket Testers[8]  SELECT & HSE guide on safe isolation procedures [500KB] [9] 

Priced • • •

•

Maintaining portable and transportable electrical equipment.[10]  Electrical test equipment for use by electricians.[11]  BSRIA - Safe thermal imaging of electrical systems (up to and including 1000  1000   V a.c.) (AG 17/97)[12]  BSRIA - Guidance and the standard specification for thermal imaging of LV electrical installations (FMS 5/99)[13] 

General electrical information There is also a priced  priced  interactive CD[14] produced by HSE that provides a lot of general advice regarding electrical matters. The Simple Precautions[15] and Frequently asked Questions[16] web pages will help you to select the best guidance on working with electricity. Most guidance is available electronically by subscribing to HSE Direct[17] and HSE Books[18] can also supply all current HSE guidance in paper form. Many other organisations provide information about electrical matters[19].