We’re all tempted to run a mile at the mere mention of health and safety in the workplace but unfortunately, it has to be dealt with, whether we like it or not.

Business owners are legally responsible for ensuring that everyone working for them follows safe working practices. You should know the steps that can be taken to ensure electrical safety and all employees should follow these steps to stay safe. Wherever electrical equipment is used, there is the potential for safety issues to arise and ensuring that your equipment is safe is critical to protecting yourself and your employees. Failure to take the necessary precautions, put standard operating procedures and protocols in place and provide staff training could put you at risk of facing legal actions, if an accident were to occur.

All of your electrical equipment needs to be tested regularly to ensure that it is safe for use. PAT testing (Portable Appliance Testing) is critical in ensuring that none of your equipment has damages or defects that could make it unsafe for use. Here’s a few examples of what you should get tested:

• Computers

• Factory equipment/machinery

• Till Points

• Kitchen equipment

Where do you start?

Once you’ve had all electrical equipment PAT tested, it’s a good idea to make a checklist of each item to be tested, for future reference. A standard operating procedure, or SOP, should be written up to make sure there are clear instructions for how to use the equipment. You should also create a risk assessment document for each appliance, to be kept on file. This highlights any danger that could arise from using the equipment and detail the safety measures put in place to reduce any risk.

Next, train your team! Don’t just leave them to get on with it, make sure they are safety aware and confident to use the equipment. Enable at least 2 or 3 of your team to take first aid training so there is always someone on site that can administer life-saving first aid. Put up health and safety posters, highlighting potential dangers. Regular meetings to review or discuss any H&S related issues is a good idea too.

It may seem like a mammoth task but once it’s done, you can be safe in the knowledge that you have done everything in your power to keep your employees, yourself and your business, as safe as possible in the working environment. You can find masses of resources and advice about all aspect of health and safety HERE

If you would like to speak to a professional about any electrical issues in your workplace then give us a call on 01858 414304, email us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or tweet us at @mmsparkies