FIRE & ELECTRICAL SAFETY
was faulty appliances and leads, which accounted for 21% (6,800) of incidents.
In the 2011/12 Fire Statistics Great Britain report, there were 24,100 fires in ‘other buildings’ of which 16,800 (70%) were regarded as accidental. The main cause of these accidental fires was still faulty appliances and leads (24%).
While these figures
show that the incidence of accidental fires in commercial and industrial buildings has
“CONSIDERATION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OF THE CONTRIBUTORY ROLE OF FAULTY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY FIRES.”
to 2012/13 (provisional) show that the total number of fatalities, major injuries and injuries that lead to over 3 days of incapacitation has fallen from 549 incidents to less than 300 (see Table 1).
However, potential electrocution and electric shock represent only part of the problem associated with faulty electrical items. Consideration also needs to be taken of the contributory role of faulty electrical appliances in commercial and industrial property fires, which are a major cause of deaths, injuries and considerable costs to businesses.
In particular, successive annual fire statistics show that faulty appliances and leads continue to be the leading cause of accidental fires in ‘other dwellings’ – i.e. non residential properties. Over the 25 year period of the EAWR 1989 the following overall comparison can be made:
According to UK Fire Statistics, out of 45,600 fires in ‘other occupied buildings’ (non domestic) in 1989, 32,400 (71%) were regarded as accidental. The main cause of these
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reduced significantly, the proportion of fires caused by faulty electrics remains high. Hence, portable appliance inspection and testing is becoming crucial to identify potentially dangerous counterfeit electrical equipment or faulty appliances that have been the subject of a product recall.
COMMON SENSE COMPLIANCE There is indisputable evidence that the periodic inspection and testing of portable electrical equipment saves lives and prevents fires that may otherwise have caused injuries, loss of life and serious damages to business and work premises.
In the vast number of cases the cost of taking a reasonable approach
Table 1 - RIDDOR statistics for contact with electricity or electrical discharge Fatalities 7
2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06
2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12
12 9 4 8
11 9 4 3 7 6
2012/13 (p) 2
Major injuries ˃ 3 day injuries Total 131 127 148 118 105
411 447 379 357 354
111 83 93 75 88
106 90
359 341 320 282 299 299
170*
549 586 536 479 467
481 433 417 360 394 411 262
Source: HSE Statistics Unit (p) provisional *The figure for 2012/13 is for ‘over 7 day injuries’ as a result of a change in reporting requirements
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to inspection and testing can be considerably lower than that associated with other forms of assessing and preventing any health and safety risks – and certainly lower than the resultant financial cost of any personal injury or fire damage to premises resulting from faulty appliances remaining undetected.
More recently, the new emphasis on a common sense approach to testing has also been useful in helping to generate a better understanding of portable appliance testing. As a result, while risk assessment remains fundamental to this new approach, the clarification of the responsibilities of duty holders and contractors is further strengthening relationships between the two and helping to introduce higher levels of professionalism in the industry.
Against the backdrop of 25 years of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, few could dispute that the process of electrical inspection and testing has made an important contribution to improving and maintaining safety in the workplace.
This article is extracted from a special White Paper, ‘The Preventative Role of Portable Appliance Testing – 25 years of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989’, available as a free download from
www.seaward.co.uk/eawr25.
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