Electricity is such an integral part of our life at home and at work that it is easy to forget that it can kill if incorrectly handled. To date, SEPS have received few reports of injury as a result of accidents involving electricity, however the potential seriousness of any accident is such that we must not become complacent and must do all that is reasonable to prevent accidents. This requires that electrical equipment used at work must be maintained in a safe condition. To ensure this, the University requires that all electrical equipment and appliances are regularly inspected. Responsibility for ensuring that such inspections are carried out on equipment which is not part of the fabric of the building rests with departments.
Inspections fall into two categories - visual checks and electrical safety tests.
The majority of potential faults can be identified by a visual check of the equipment and its plug and cable . The necessary frequency of inspection will depend on the type of equipment, its use and the environment in which it is used. Most departments will have personnel who have sufficient expertise to carry out visual checks or who can be trained to do so, however not all departments will have the expertise to carry out electrical safety tests. In such cases it may be necessary to engage a contractor to carry out testing. A one day introductory course on ergonomics and manual handling is to be held on 31 July 1997.