Electricity at Work Regulations (1989)

namtip · Post by **namtip** » Wed Oct 23, 2019 7:56 am

Hi there,

Myself and the Health and Safety Manger at work are in dispute. Could you offer advice?

We have an equipment database which has been left to deteriorate over the last year or two and needs updating with maintenance and PAT test dates etc.

Currently all equipment has its own plant number and a seperate database record for recording PAT test results and maintenance etc. - so far very sensible.

However I have found that individual power cables also have their own records on the database and their own individual plant numbers.

To me, this is overkill. Any PAT testing/maintenance would be done on the equipment, and would naturally include the equipment's power cable. The results would be logged against the equipment's record and plant number. There is no need to treat power cables as separate entities (although I do understand they are tested separately first, and then together with the equipment)

I would like to declutter the equipment database of all power cables.

The health and safety manager however doesn't want to do this and instead says we need to update the database for all existing power cables, and create new records, identify and label up all power cables that aren't identified (lots). This will also mean separate PAT test/service/maintenance schedule for each individual power cable irrespective of any equipment it's connected to.

I can tell you now that this will mean hundreds of power cables - and we're only an SME (60ish staff)

In his defence, the HS manager has quoted the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, but having read them myself I can't find a single thing which supports either of our cases.

I feel like I'm losing my sanity!

What think you?

stephen1974 · Post by **stephen1974** » Thu Oct 24, 2019 12:17 pm

I think he is right, though he should be quoting the Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment rather than EWR.

I dont have an up to date copy unfortunately but I believe this was addressed in there and it said you should test detachable leads when they are plugged into the appliance, and then retest them seperately. One reason being you cannot test for polarity when they are plugged in.

That said. PAT isnt a legal requirement and you don't HAVE to do it this way. So him saying its a regulation is wrong, I believe.

Post by **dave247** » Fri Oct 25, 2019 8:30 am

I think the answer has been hit on above as my question was going to be “are the leads detachable” as they could be swapped.

namtip · Post by **namtip** » Mon Oct 28, 2019 4:54 pm

Thanks for the replies. I realise that the leads have to be tested separately from the equipment when actually PAT testing.

My question was more related to whether we have to identify them individually and hold separate records about them on a database, as opposed to simply holding the records against the equipment they were connected to at the time.

Post by **WillPool** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 4:10 am

namtip wrote: ↑Mon Oct 28, 2019 4:54 pm Thanks for the replies. I realise that the leads have to be tested separately from the equipment when actually PAT testing.

My question was more related to whether we have to identify them individually and hold separate records about them on a database, as opposed to simply holding the records against the equipment they were connected to at the time.

If you dont identify them individually how will you know if and when they were tested?

Will

Post by **bernicarey** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 2:33 pm

I would be 'reasonably practicable' about it.
If the detachable cables are on items such as IT systems, that are installed at employees desks, then I wouldn't bother as it is very much paperwork for the sake of it.
Just as I wouldn't PAT it until it was at least 2-3 years old.

If however it is detachable power cables on items that are on the 'shop floor' and therefore prone to cables being borrowed or switched, then I would record them separately.
I would also give them a local serial number, linked to the item they are supposed to be fitted to, so that migration can be spotted.
So if a portable test equipment item is given database serial #123, then it's power lead would be #123A, or #123/1

What sort of 'equipment' are we speaking of with these cables?
I'm curious as to why you have 'hundreds' of detachable cables in use.

namtip · Post by **namtip** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:32 pm

WillPool wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2019 4:10 am If you dont identify them individually how will you know if and when they were tested?

Doesn't a green label get put on when they are PAT tested?

bernicarey wrote: ↑Tue Oct 29, 2019 2:33 pm I would be 'reasonably practicable' about it.
If the detachable cables are on items such as IT systems, that are installed at employees desks, then I wouldn't bother as it is very much paperwork for the sake of it.
Just as I wouldn't PAT it until it was at least 2-3 years old.

If however it is detachable power cables on items that are on the 'shop floor' and therefore prone to cables being borrowed or switched, then I would record them separately.
I would also give them a local serial number, linked to the item they are supposed to be fitted to, so that migration can be spotted.
So if a portable test equipment item is given database serial #123, then it's power lead would be #123A, or #123/1

What sort of 'equipment' are we speaking of with these cables?
I'm curious as to why you have 'hundreds' of detachable cables in use.

Thanks bernicarey.

I guess I'm beat

The equipment is all computer-based and test-instrument based (oscilloscopes, bench multimeters, PSUs etc. etc.) The vast majority have detachable IEC type 'kettle' lead cables. It's not a choice - that's how they're sold! Along with all the computers, monitors, printers we have etc. the number easily runs into the hundreds throughout the organisation.

The vast majority of the equipment is stationary on desks/benches etc.

I guess I just can't work out how the last place I worked at (a very large organisation) didn't have any separate power cables on the equipment database, so I can't work out how they got around that.

Never mind, I'll let him get on with it!

Post by **bernicarey** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:12 pm

I've worked in places such as that before, with Scopes, PSUs etc, mind you it was some 20 odd years ago.

But as the leads never went with the equipment for calibration, which for most items was annually/biannually, we simply adopted the practice that leads were all kept together in a common collection, stored neatly on a dedicated stowage.
Every time a lead was used, it was subject to a visual examination, simple as that.
It's all about the reasonableness of the requirement and the conditions of their use.
There's a whole load of difference between a 'Lab' or tidy Electrical/Electronics Engineering facility and a grubby little workshop with a high risk of damage.

Would I trust leads in this place.... No...

How do you store your leads, are they kept with the equipment or separate?
We always had for more leads than we had equipments.
We also marked each plug with the size of fuse fitted, so the right leads were used.