The University of Salford. Portable Appliance Testing & Electrical Safety Policy

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1 Portable Appliance Testing & Electrical Safety Policy Part 1: Portable Appliance Testing 1 STATEMENT OF INTENT The University is committed to providing a working environment which is safe and without risks to the health, safety and welfare of its employees, students, contractors and visitors. Equally, employees of the University must work with the employer to safeguard their own health, safety and welfare and bring to the employer s attention any situation they are aware of which could pose a risk to their health, safety or welfare or that of their colleagues. 2 POLICY OBJECTIVES a) To minimise the risks from working with electrical equipment b) To comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 c) To comply with the requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 3.1 Director of Estates and Property Services The Director is responsible for: ensuring equipment is tested in accordance with this policy; ensuring that the Estates & Property Services staff responsible for undertaking the testing are trained and competent to do so 3.2 Campus Managers The Campus Managers are responsible for: ensuring the availability of trained testing staff, as required, to undertake testing; ensuring the schedules defined in this policy are adhered to responding to any reports of non-compliance or contravention of this policy reported to them by the testing staff. 3.3 Testing Staff The individual Testing Staff are required to:

2 attend training as defined in this policy; conduct testing in accordance with the requirements of this policy and the IEE Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment; report any non compliance or contravention of this policy to the Campus Managers; record test results either by electronic device, or by application of a test sticker, as appropriate, and set out in section 7 of this policy. 3.4 Departments/Equipment Owners Owners of equipment, whether departments or individuals, are required to: ensure their equipment is available for test when the Testing Staff arrive at the site; contact Estates and Property Services when new equipment is purchased or acquired by other means, and always before first use; take out of service any faulty or damaged equipment and report to Estates and Property Services for testing; ensure any equipment identified as failed by the Testing Staff is not put back into service until repair and retesting has taken place; do not permit the use of prohibited items, as identified below. 3.5 Health and Safety Coordinators The College or Professional Service Health and Safety Coordinator is responsible for: Ensuring periodic inspections of their departments are undertaken, by the department managers, to ensure that all equipment is displaying a valid test sticker; Ensuring that there is no sign of damage top any of the equipment; Ensure that prohibited items are not in use or available to use. 3.6 Members of Staff Individual Members of Staff are required to: Ensure they do not use damaged or faulty equipment; Report any defective of damaged equipment to their manager or Health and Safety Coordinator; Ensure any item they purchase, or bring it to work, is tested before first use. 3.7 Schools and Professional Services required to test their own equipment

3 Certain items of equipment are excluded from the central testing service, owing to the way in which they are assembled; the environment in which they are located; or they are student owned appliances. The areas excluded from central testing are: School of Environment & Life Sciences Laboratories School of Computer Science & Engineering Laboratories School of Music, Media & Performance Laboratories and students equipment School of Art & Design Students equipment It Services Audio Visual Department all audio visual equipment Student accommodation All equipment in these areas must be tested by trained, competent staff and in accordance with schedules for inspection defined in the IEE Code of Practice of Practice for In-Service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. Where appliances, such as ceiling mounted projectors are installed, the testing regime will be combined inspection and test upon installation and whenever the appliance is removed for repair, maintenance, etc. The maximum time period between combined inspections will be 48 months. 4. Definitions Portable appliances includes equipment that is not part of a fixed installation, but is intended to be connected to a fixed installation, or generator, by means of a flexible cable and either a plug and socket, or a spur box, or similar means. Portable appliances can be divided in to 2 categories: Static equipment and portable equipment. Static equipment includes: computers, printers, water dispensers, photocopiers, vending machines, fax machines, etc. This equipment is not normally moved about, but as it is connected to the mains via a plug and socket, it can be relocated as required. Portable equipment includes: kettles, hand drills, vacuum cleaners, etc. This equipment is frequently connected to and disconnected from the mains circuit. Prohibited items these are: multi-socket adaptors; electrical extensions reels, when used in an office environment.

4 5. Training All Testing Staff will be trained to undertake portable electrical equipment testing as required by the Electricity at Work Regulations; and in accordance with the IEE Code of Practice for In-service Inspection and Testing of Electrical Equipment. The training will cover the following essential elements: a) Equipment construction b) Inspection c) Combined inspection and testing d) The use of instruments and recording of data e) Equipment Where Schools and Professional Services conduct their own testing, the training may be provided centrally, but funded by the School or Professional Service requesting the training. 6. Scope of testing Where Estates and Property Services are responsible for testing, the Testing Staff will test equipment which is accessible and does not require dismantling prior to testing. The tests performed on portable appliances will consist of: Formal Visual Inspection - Visual inspection to detect defects, damage, misuse, overload/overheating, modifications and that the environment in which the equipment is being used is appropriate. Combined Inspection and Test - Physical tests of the Earth, Insulation, Leakage and Load. 7. Records of Testing Where equipment is subjected to a Combined Inspection and Test, the test results will be recorded and stored electronically.

5 8. Test Intervals Test intervals are determined by the risk presented from using the equipment. The specified test intervals for University equipment are: All appliances Equipment Formal visual inspection Interval Before first use Combined inspection and test Hand drills, sanders, soldering irons, inspection lamps, power washers, vacuum cleaners, floor cleaners/polishers, etc. Kettles, microwaves, extension leads (except where used solely in conjunction with static equipment), laptop adaptors, desk fans, etc. Computer equipment used in student open access areas or used by University staff, extension leads used solely in conjunction with computer equipment, photocopiers, fax machines, water dispensers, vending machines 6 months 12 months 12 months 24 months 24 months 48 months 9. Estates and Property Services Response Times Where testing of new or repaired appliances is required, the request must be made via to the PAT Test enquiries functional Items will be tested within 5 working days of the request. 10. Personal Electrical Equipment Where permission is granted to individuals to bring their personal electrical equipment into the School or Professional Service, the equipment must subjected to portable appliance testing before first use on our premises. 11. Student Owned Portable Appliances Portable appliances owned by students residing in the University of Salford residences will be subject to portable appliance testing in accordance with the Accommodation department policy for testing of students own equipment.

6 12. External Organisations Using University Premises Where an organisation uses a University premise, whether for business or entertainment purposes, they must be able to demonstrate evidence of portable appliance testing to the School or Professional Service, as appropriate. 13. Leased Equipment The responsibility for testing equipment leased to the University of Salford lies with the company leasing the equipment to the University. Schools and Professional Services must ensure that this requirement to portable appliance test is included in the lease contract.

7 Part 2: Electrical Safety Electrical equipment must be correctly wired, maintained and tested in accordance with the Electricity at Work Regulations A suitable number of 13amp wall sockets should be provided to prevent the use of socket multiple adaptor plugs and minimise the use of extension leads. Use of socket multiple adaptors is not permitted within the University, If socket multiple adaptor plugs are found to be in use during electrical testing, they will be confiscated by the Testing Staff carrying out the testing. The use of electrical extension leads should be avoided where possible. Where extension leads have to be used, they must be suitably rated, regularly inspected and positioned to ensure they will not be damaged by desk legs, chairs or moving equipment, etc. They must not be reeled extension leads when used in an office environment. The fixed installation, i.e. the circuit to which appliances are connected will be tested every 5 years by an Estates & Property Services Division competent electrician. No one is permitted to modify or undertake work on the electrical circuit or any appliance to be connected the circuit unless they are a competent and authorised to do so. Where electrical equipment is to be used in a wet environment, or the equipment can be damaged during use, 110v cte equipment should be selected where it is available. In all other cases, a residual current device (RCD) must be utilised. Where the circuit does not incorporate a fixed RCD, portable RCD adaptors must be supplied. Research Circuits Research circuits include any electrical circuit or apparatus constructed for research purposes. Research and development circuitry must be constructed, maintained and operated safely in accordance with the Regulations. All circuitry must be risk assessed, constructed and inspected for electrical safety, and use authorised by a competent person, before first use.