Portable Appliances

It has been shown that more than 25% of electrical accidents at work involve portable electrical appliances.

It is important to appreciate that as far as the Electricity at Work Regulations are concerned, ALL portable appliances are covered. Not just those often considered to be hazardous, such as drills, grinders, etc., but also all those every-day appliances such as floor polishers, kettles, coffee makers, computers, desk lamps and so on. In fact any appliance that is fed from a plug and socket. 110V tools for use in industrial situations are, of course, also included.

Although there is no specified interval for inspection and test for portable appliances, it is for each employer to set what is considered to be a safe interval. The period chosen may need to be defended in court after an accident, and should be based on the type of appliance, the usage of the equipment and the manufacturers recommendations.

Phoenix can offer a organised and planned programme of inspection and testing of all portable appliances, necessary to meet the requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulation 1989.

We suggest that the user or a competent person should carry out inspection on all appliances on a before use basis.

Testing, in the main should be every 12 months, except in the construction industry where every 3 months is recommended.

A Qualified Electrician with Calibrated Test Equipment will carry out the testing, he will also generate a register of all portable appliances, so that a programme for further inspection and test intervals can be arranged. Also all appliances will be labelled to show the date of the last and of the next inspection and test.

This service can be carried out with very little disruption to your company and will give you the peace of mind that your portable equipment is safe to use.