Electricity

Electrical work must only be undertaken by those who are trained and competent to do so.

Electrical contractors must follow safe working practices and plan and execute their electrical work safely, there should be adequate information available about the electrical system and the work to be done.

Electrical contractors must avoid working on live systems whenever possible and must not energise systems before completing all installations and verifying that they are correct. Work on live electrical circuits is only permitted under strict conditions, which include:

• Testing and verification of electrical circuits may only be conducted under the supervision of a competent individual.
• Live work will only be allowed if a comprehensive risk assessment has been conducted by a qualified person and approved by site management.
• In such cases, the Lovell ‘Permit to Test Live Electrical Apparatus’ or ‘Permit to Work on High Voltage Equipment’ must be issued before any live work begins.

Safe isolation procedures must be always followed.

Relevant parts of a live system must be isolated when other construction or refurbishment work may disturb it or expose workers to electrical danger.

Battery operated or 110v centre tapped to earth (CTE) tools and equipment are to be used. Any repairs of servicing must be carried out by qualified electricians only makeshift repairs are not permitted.

On the rare occasions where 230v use is unavoidable, a residual current (trip) devices (RCD) must be used. These must be properly installed and checked daily.

Only use chargers, devices, and batteries from reputable manufacturers and do not mix between different manufacturers. Refer to Lithium-ion battery charging section within this document for more information.

Lighting systems must have bulb protection to protected against breakage. Halogen lighting is not permitted.

Users are to check equipment is in good repair before each use. Any faults must be reported to the relevant manager and the equipment taken out of use immediately.

The following is to be inspected and tested by a competent person;

Temporary building* equipment fitted with plugs (kettles, laptops, fridges etc.) - each time a site is established or every 12 months, whichever is soonest.
Temporary building* permanent wiring - every 12 months
Temporary electrical distribution systems - every 3 months
On site 110v tools and equipment- every 3 months

*Temporary buildings include portable and sectional buildings used as site offices, stores, workshops, welfare facilities etc.