ACommonSense Approach
Duty of care To help meet the needs of all those who need to maintain electrically safe working environments, many field service organisations and contracting companies have set up specialist portable appliance testing operations. Other organisations have introduced in-
house testing protocols managed by maintenance managers, safety engineers, site electricians or facilities management personnel.
In all cases, however the electrical inspection
and testing procedures are implemented, the EAWR require that the work is carried out by a competent person. The IEE Code of Practice provides further clarification in this respect by advising that the competent person should possess sufficient technical electrical knowledge or experience to be capable of ensuring that injury is prevented. This is an important point in relation to duty
of care obligations; legal responsibilities of the ‘duty holder’ in this respect may only be
discharged with the certainty that whoever is carrying out the testing is fully competent to do so. Where electrical safety is concerned, there is
no room for taking risks or adopting dangerous cost cutting practices. However if some common sense principles are adopted, then, rather than exposing workers and premises to an increased risk, a future based on a reasonable and pragmatic approach to electrical testing ensure the safety and benefit of all involved.
H.S.E Statistics Charts For Reported Accidents in theWorkplace H.S.E RIDDOR figure Fatal injuries 35 ■ Members of the plublic ■ Self employed ■ Employee 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09p* Year
2009/10(p) figures: Employees =3, Selfemployed = 0, No figures for members of the public provided
1 H.S.E RIDDOR figure Non-Fatal injuries
160 180
140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09p* Year
2009/10(p) figures: Employees =73, Selfemployed = 10, No figures for members of the public provided
■ Self employed ■ Employee
H.S.E RIDDOR figure Over 3 day injuries 4
400 450 500
350 300
250 200 150 100 50 0
2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09p* Year
2009/10(p) figures: Employees =281, Selfemployed = 7, 8 ■ Self employed ■ Employee
H.S.E R7IDDOR figure Non-Fatal tomembers of the public
70 80
60 50 40 30 20 10 0
2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09p* Year
2009/10(p) - no figure available ■ Employee
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