Health & Safety | Electrical Safety
Being shock safe Safe use and testing of electrical equipment The PCBU, such as the board, proprietor and principal, are required to manage the risks to health and safety of their schools – including risks relating to electrical safety. If the PCBU cannot eliminate the risk, the risk must be minimised so far as reasonably practicable. Ensuring electrical equipment is in safe working condition, by including regular testing is a crucial part of reducing risk to students, staff and potential visitors and must be managed appropriately.
Your health and safety responsibilities Making sure electrical equipment is used correctly and operating safely is part of your overall health and safety responsibilities and will help you meet the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and the Electricity (Safety) Regulations There is a legal duty to ensure that electrical appliances/equipment are electrically safe and maintained in good condition.
Testing and tagging to AS/NZS 3760 by a trained and competent person is not a mandatory requirement but it is one method of demonstrating that reasonably practicable steps were taken to ensure the health and safety of people in the workplace.
Testing and tagging of electrical appliances Testing and tagging electrical appliances and cords is a useful way to check that electrical equipment is safe. The person completing the testing and tagging must be competent and must use the appropriate test equipment. They should record the tests conducted and the values/results of those tests should be retained. Testing and tagging is a good minimum, but there are other ways you can increase the level of your electrical equipment safety. For example, where possible, install earth leakage protection to all circuits supplying socket outlets this can be through RCDs installed in the switch board or by replacing socket outlets with RCD face plates. Also, where fitting of RCDs to the existing wiring installation is not currently possible, portable RCDs should be used to protect appliances.
Lastly, ensure users of electrical appliances perform regular checks of the appliances they use. Equipment checks should include looking for signs of damage and that switches and safety guards function as they should. Testing and tagging doesn’t guarantee future electrical safety, what it does is provide a snapshot of how safe the appliance is at the time of testing. The New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 3760:2010 sets out details on how to ensure safety and compliance through testing and tagging of electrical cords. You can buy a copy of the standard from Standards New Zealand.
Checking your electrical equipment is safe
• Repeatedly blows a fuse or trips a circuit breaker or RCD. Clearly label or secure the equipment so that it will not be used. Then replace it or have it repaired by a licensed electrical worker.
Indicators of unsafe equipment include: • Cracked casings • Missing or damaged guards • Outer insulation pulled back at cable entry points so that wires are exposed • Cuts and nicks along cables; tape covering cuts and nicks • Dry and brittle insulation • Burn marks or signs of overheating
Faulty or damaged equipment
• RCDs not tripping when tested.
Immediately disconnect and remove faulty or damaged equipment.
For more information, visit: www.worksafe.govt.nz.
This includes equipment that: • Has given someone a shock • Fails testing or inspection
Content kindly provided by the Ministry of Education and adapted to fit this magazine. More information can be found at www.education.govt.nz.
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