Electrical safety - what you should know

As you'll soon discover, the use of electrical equipment in educational establishments is an everyday activity.

During the festive season, in particular, many schools will be hosting plays or other functions, which will increase the use of electricity and electrical appliances ­ electrical safety should be given full attention before these events take place.

Risks associated with the misuse of electricity and electrical equipment, which can be life threatening, are often overlooked. It is therefore important that the use, inspection, maintenance and repair of electrical equipment and installations in schools and colleges is managed effectively.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 place a duty on employers to carry out risk assessments, which involves identifying hazards in the workplace, including those electrical. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, which apply to all educational establishments, require employers to assess activities taking place on or near electrical systems which may lead to danger and/or personal injury.

Risks associated with the misuse of electricity and electrical equipment, which can be life threatening, are often overlooked.

It may be reasonable, however, for teaching staff to undertake a primary and routine inspection of electrical equipment prior to use by them or by pupils, thus establishing that the equipment at least looks to be in good working order, examining a plug before connecting it to the power supply, for example. All staff should be fully trained in the use of any electrical equipment they will be operating.

The Health and Safety Executive advises that:

1. An inventory of all electrical equipment is prepared, which may be taken room-by-room or department by-department.
2. The inventory is periodically updated by a competent person who should examine the equipment. Obsolete, redundant or defective equipment should be taken out of service and be properly repaired or disposed of. If the latter, they should be removed from the inventory.
3. Fixed electrical installations should be inspected and tested by a competent person at least every five years. More frequent inspections will be necessary when installations are subject to damage or abuse. A test certificate confirming the date and results of the inspection and test should be prepared ­ a copy of it should be retained by the school or college.
4. All electrical equipment including socket outlets and other fittings such as lights, should be chosen bearing in mind the use and abuse to which they may be subjected. Remember, items which are close to where pupils sit are likely to be interfered with.
5. Temporary systems, such as stage lighting, should be tested and inspected initially and at least every three months thereafter.
6. Portable appliances, such as drills, saws and irons should be routinely inspected and tested and a register be kept. Before the start of each term, the equipment should be visually inspected and any defects rectified.
7. Members of staff who modify equipment should do so in such a way that neither they nor the pupils/students are put at risk. Modified or "home made" equipment should be inspected and tested by a competent person before use.

Advice

All educational establishments should have a written policy specifically relating to electricity. The policy should reflect best practice and should influence future practice for the health and safety of staff and pupils/students.

It should also detail the visual checks to be conducted by all staff before using any electrical equipment. The following questions could be asked:

• Is there any obvious damage to the plug?
• Are there any loose or bare wires?
• Do any parts of the equipment appear to be missing?
• Is the equipment becoming hot when it is running?
• Is it becoming particularly noisy?
• Is there a smell of burning?

If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, the policy should advise the member of staff to report the problem and not to use the equipment until it has been properly examined and repaired.

Help and support

For further advice on this issue, ATL members can speak to their school rep, their branch secretary or their regional official. They can also call the London (020 7930 6441), Cardiff (029 2046 5000), Belfast (028 9078 2020) or Edinburgh (0131 272 2748) offices or email info@atl.org.uk

For out of hours enquiries, call the out of office hours helpline on 020 7782 1612 (Monday-Friday, 5-8pm during term time).

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