New Electrical Safety Guide launched to help duty holders reduce workplace risks

Reflecting the health and safety expert’s continued commitment to educating businesses on the importance of compliance and best practice in electrical installations, the guide has been designed to support duty holders in growing their understanding of electrical responsibilities and fill any gaps in knowledge.

With a sleek design and clear format, the guide sets out a best practice concept for a compliance strategy, including the business’ recommended ‘safe system of work’. This is a combination of systems, processes and procedures designed so that a defined work activity can be done without undue risk to health or safety, including but not limited to risk assessments and method statements, control measures, and permits and supervision. The guide also defines the competency requirements of a person carrying out works on electrics, and the importance of regularly testing and inspecting an installation, to ensure compliance to the BS 7671 and EAWR regulations.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (EAWR) - part of the Health and Safety at Work Act - places statutory obligations on duty holders to ensure the safety of electrical installations. EAWR applies to all operational voltages, and electrical systems and equipment, assisting duty holders to achieve electrical safety, take precautions against risk of death and personal injury and comply with the duties imposed.

Michael Kenyon, Technical Manager at Bureau Veritas, said: “More than ever, businesses are facing increased pressure to drive efficiencies within electrical installations, whilst simultaneously achieving compliance and meeting best practice standards, in order to prevent injury or death, reduce the risk of damage to buildings, and trying to reduce costs too. And the statistics speak for themselves, with more than half of all fires in the UK caused by electricity in 2015/16, and 25 workplace fatalities since 2014 from contact with electricity or electrical discharge.

“However, while electrical safety is no doubt at the top of the agenda for many duty holders, a sizeable proportion may not fully understand what their role and responsibilities truly entail. Knowledge is power and taking full advantage of our electrical safety guide will ensure duty holders have the correct information to hand, and will hopefully be able to successfully mitigate any risks regarding electricity in the workplace, and undoubtedly, will help to save lives.”

This latest launch follows on from the recent electrical safety awareness course, led by the Bureau Veritas Learning Academy, which taught senior business leaders about the important aspects of the law around electrical safety including recent changes to BS 7671 - IET Wiring Regulations, with guidance on how to apply this within a workplace environment and create an effective electrical compliance strategy.

Michael Kenyon, continues: “There is no one-size-fits-all solution to compliance regarding electrical safety. Ultimately, an organisation must be confident that it has taken all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to ensure compliance. Key to this is a reasonable, realistic and achievable compliance strategy, which our technical specialists at Bureau Veritas can support on.”

Whatever the level of in-house expertise, Bureau Veritas offers a comprehensive package of electrical services to suit all requirements. From external audit services to fully bespoke electrical management schemes, it offers clients the unique opportunity to select the services they require for electrical testing and inspection, whilst benefitting from the cost-efficiencies of a combined service.