1]
The initial integrity (safety) of new work equipment when first supplied is covered by:

• section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974,(8) which requires
‘any person who designs, manufactures, imports or supplies any article for use at work or any article of fairground equipment:
(i) to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the article is so designed and constructed that it will be safe and without risks to health at all times when it is being set, used, cleaned or maintained by a person at work;
(ii) to take such steps as are necessary to secure that persons supplied by that person with the article are provided with adequate information about the use for which the article is designed or has been tested and about any conditions necessary to ensure that it will be safe and without risks to health at all such times as are mentioned in paragraph (i) above and when it is being dismantled or disposed of...’;

• the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994,(9) which require certain safety objectives to be met, including design and construction to assure protection against hazards arising from the electrical equipment, and protection against hazards that may be caused by external influences on the electrical equipment;

• the Supply of Machinery (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1994,(10) which contain a general requirement for protection against electrical hazards.

2]
The general duties covering the use and maintenance of work equipment in addition to the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989~ are contained in:

• section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, which requires ‘the provision and maintenance of plant ... so far as is reasonably practicable safe...’;

• the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999,(7) which require an employer to make ‘a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to health and safety of employees ... for the purposes of identifying the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements ... imposed upon him under other relevant law’.
Such a risk assessment should include risks arising from the use of electrical equipment;

• the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998,(11) which require the employer (person in control) to select suitable work equipment (regulation 5) and to ‘ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair’.

Home / Advice / Terms & Conditions / About Us / Contact Us

Oak Appliance Testing, Suite 58, 27 Colmore Row, Birmingham, West Midlands, B3 2EW
T: +44(0)845 434 5025. F: +44(0)870 067 7025. E: info@oakappliancetesting.co.uk