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Electrical Equipment Inspection Procedure

Contractors Knowledge Base

Objective

Wherever possible the company will endeavor to use cordless electrical equipment or tools powered by a 110 volt supply centre tapped to earth. This will effectively eliminate the risk of death and reduce the severity of any injury resulting from an electrical accident. However, where mains voltage devices must be used then a trip device such as an RCD (residual current device) rated at 30 mA with no time delay must be introduced into the mains circuit to cut off the current if any contact is made with a live part.

The maintenance of electrical equipment to a high standard is vital. Conditions on construction sites are generally hard on such equipment and particularly on plugs and leads. Regular inspections will ensure that any faults which occur are spotted early and dealt with before anyone suffers injury. In order to control the inspection and test process the following procedure will be followed in all cases.

Administration

A supply of electrical equipment test forms and test labels will be supplied to the site. Once completed, the inspection forms will be retained on site during the course of the work and then transferred to the company office and filed.

Procedure

  1. Every employee will visually inspect any item of electrical equipment before use and any defect found must be reported to the senior company representative on site.
  2. Residual current devices (RCDs) must be tested daily by pressing the test button.
  3. Each week, a 'competent person' must carry out a formal inspection of all electrical equipment on site and the results recorded on the electrical equipment inspection record form.
  4. Every 3 months a combined test and inspection of all electrical equipment must be carried out by a qualified electrician and the results recorded on an Electrical Equipment Inspection Record Form.
  5. The equipment tested must have a label attached with the date of the test on it.
  6. Should any defects be found during any of the inspections and tests' the equipment would be withdrawn from service immediately pending replacement or repair.

 

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