The legislation relevant to electrical maintenance is:

• Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974
• Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
• Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992

The Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 apply to all electrical equipment used in, or associated with, places of work. The scope extends from distribution systems, be they 400kV or those in buildings, down to the smallest piece of electrical equipment such as a hairdryer, a VDU, a telephone or even in some situations battery operated equipment.

Who is responsible?

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) require every employer to ensure that equipment is suitable for the use for which it is provided and only used for work for which it is suitable. They require every employer to ensure equipment is maintained in good order and inspected as necessary to ensure it is maintained in a safe condition.

Every employer should ensure that work equipment is constructed or adapted
as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided.