INSPECTION AND TESTING CORONAVIRUS
By Bob Cairney I Eng MIET Technical Standards Adviser, SELECT
I
t’s perhaps premature to speculate about what the future may hold, given that we don’t know the potential impact of the many restrictions imposed on us over the last ten weeks or so. But one thing is certain – to continue trading, any business which had to close will have to reopen again sometime. The range of businesses which closed in March included bars, cafes, cinemas, construction sites, gyms, sport facilities, hotels, office blocks, retail outlets, schools, colleges and universities. From a safety perspective, these closures should ideally have been done in an organised manner with an orderly shutdown of all mechanical and electrical services. While this may have happened in smaller premises, it may not have been possible in larger workplaces, such as construction sites, where machinery and plant could simply have been switched off and the gates locked. Therefore, as restrictions are eased and businesses begin to plan their return, it’s vital to plan for how to work safely across the board.
Health and safety responsibilities Those responsible for the ongoing safety of premises should ensure that adequate checks and maintenance are carried out before opening up again, especially where the premises have been closed for a significant period. This will help to ensure that the premises are safe not
28 CABLEtalk JUNE/JULY 2020
Testing the water before taking the plunge
For anyone considering a return to work, it’s vital to carry out proper inspection and testing of any electrical equipment that may have been sitting idle during the pandemic
only for employees, but also for visitors and the general public. The safety of these premises will
largely depend on the condition that the workplace was left in prior to the forced closure and how the premises have been maintained previously.
Those with responsibility are duty holders and really should already have been aware of the need to comply with relevant HSE legislation, such as Regulation 4 (2) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, which requires that those responsible for the safety of the electrical systems ensure that suitable maintenance is carried out to prevent danger as far as is reasonably practicable.
Electrical maintenance and inspection and testing To comply with these and other requirements, suitable maintenance procedures should be in place with regard to premises and workplaces, including routine checks and regular
inspection and testing of the fixed wiring of the electrical installation and the equipment connected to it.
Routine checks and regular inspection and testing are a recommended part of preventative maintenance because they can help identify damage, deterioration, defects and dangerous conditions and maintenance that may be required. The duty holder can then take action to organise any necessary remedial work, thus keeping their premises safe, operational and compliant with the law. Periodic inspection and testing (PI&T) of the fixed wiring and in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment (ISITEE) is a recommended part of this and commonly undertaken in many workplaces for these reasons.
Note: PI&T is not the only option available to a duty holder when establishing an effective management plan for preventative maintenance. Continuous
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