The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
puts the duty of care upon both the employer and the employee to ensure
the safety of all persons using the work premises. This includes the
self employed.
The Management
of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999
states:
"Every employer
shall make suitable and sufficient assessment of:
(a) the risks to
the health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst
at work, and
(b) the risks to
ensure the health and safety of persons not in his employment arising
out of or in connection with the conduct by him or his undertaking."
The
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
state:
"As
may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so
as to prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, such danger."
“System' means an electrical system in which all the electrical
equipment is, or may be, electrically connected to a common source of
electrical energy and includes such source and such equipment”
“Electrical Equipment' includes anything used, intended to be used or
installed for use, to generate, provide, transmit, transform, rectify,
convert, conduct, distribute, control, store, measure or use electrical
energy”
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
states:
"Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is maintained in an
efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair."
The
PUWER 1998 covers most risks that can result from using work equipment.
With respect to risks from electricity, compliance with the Electricity
at Work Regulations 1989 is likely to achieve compliance with the PUWER
1998.
PUWER 1998 only applies to work equipment used by workers at work. This
includes all work equipment (fixed, transportable or portable) connected
to a source of electrical energy. PUWER does not apply to fixed
installations in a building. The electrical safety of these
installations is dealt with only by the Electricity at Work Regulations.
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