Policy for the procurement and use of portable items of electrical equipment N.B. Staff should be discouraged from printing this document. This is to avoid the risk of out of date printed versions of the document. The Intranet should be referred to for the current version of the document.
Contents: 1 Policy statement...2 2 Aims of the policy...2 3 Examples of portable electrical equipment items governed by this policy...3 4 Use of electricity supply...3 5 Roles & responsibilities... 5.1 Board / Directors... 4 5.2 Ward and Department Managers... 4 5.3 Employees... 4 5.4 Health & Safety Officers, Fire Officers and Estates Officers... 4 6 Reporting of fires...4 7 Consultation...5 8 Equality...5 9 Audit...5 10 Supporting policies & information...5 Page 1 of 5
1 POLICY STATEMENT It is the policy of Aneurin Bevan Health Board to promote a safe working environment for staff, patients and visitors. The electricity at work regulations 1989 apply wherever the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 applies and where electricity may be encountered. The Regulations are concerned with the prevention of danger from electric shock, electric burns, electrical explosion or from fire or explosion initiated by electrical energy. Already there have been a number of small fires within Aneurin Bevan Health Board caused by the use of unsuitable and unsafe electrical equipment being inappropriately and locally purchased. To manage this it is essential to have systems in place to monitor the purchase and use of all electrical items. 2 AIMS OF THE POLICY Only electrical items purchased via procurement will be permitted for use within Aneurin Bevan Health Board. All electrical items procured must be to a standard deemed fit for purpose. (Many items purchased via local department stores / supermarkets are unlikely to meet the required standard). No personal items of electrical equipment will be permitted for use within Aneurin Bevan Health Board. Periodical Portable Appliance Testing will only be carried out on items legitimately purchased via procurement. Any electrical equipment privately purchased and or provided will be considered to be sub-standard and will be removed from service and handed to the departmental manager for disposal. 2.1 Patients Personal Equipment Patients shall be discouraged from bringing into hospital and using their own personal portable electric appliances. Where clinical staff consider it is in the best interest of the patient to use their own personal equipment such equipment shall not be used unless it has been assessed. Page 2 of 5
2.2 Disability Considerations The policy recognises that some disabled patients or staff may require the use of personal electrical equipment as an auxiliary aid. In line with the requirements of the Equality Act (2010) reasonable adjustment will be made to take account of this which will include the appropriate electrical testing of the equipment to ensure its safety, in accordance with the Strategy and Procedure for the inspection and testing of portable electrical equipment 2.3 Disposal of Electrical Equipment Waste Electrical Equipment must be segregated from other wastes and disposed of separately as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Please contact your local Facilities Department for advice in relation to the disposal of WEEE. 3 EXAMPLES OF PORTABLE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT ITEMS GOVERNED BY THIS POLICY Kettles Toasters Microwave Ovens Mini Fridges Fans (Desk or Pedestal) Radios Shredders NB. This list is not exhaustive. Electric heaters will not be permitted for use or purchase in any area throughout Aneurin Bevan Health Board, without the approval of the Works & Estates Department. 4 USE OF ELECTRICITY SUPPLY With the advancement in technology Aneurin Bevan Health Board already has an increased demand on its electricity supply which was not foreseeable at the time most healthcare premises were built. It is therefore imperative that we do not overload the electricity supply system by using unauthorised equipment. Page 3 of 5
5 ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES 5.1 Board / Directors The Chairman, Chief Executive and Directors of Aneurin Bevan Health Board have an overall responsibility for Occupational Health & Safety. 5.2 Ward and Department Managers All Managers have a responsibility to implement this policy within their work areas in order to ensure a safe place of work and to protect staff, patients and visitors from unnecessary risk or injury. This means that ALL items of electrical equipment covered by this policy must be purchased via procurement, irrespective of the source of funding. Additionally all items must be maintained in a clean condition, in accordance with manufacturers instructions. 5.3 Employees All employees have a responsibility to take care of their own health & safety at work and that of other people. To comply with this policy no employee should bring into work personal items of electrical equipment and should remove any items to which this policy might apply. 5.4 Health & Safety Officers, Fire Officers and Estates Officers Following inspection, audit or routine testing, Health & Safety Officers, Fire Safety Officers and Works & Estates Officers will have the authority to remove from use items which are deemed not fit for purpose. Such items will be given to the local manager for appropriate action. 6 REPORTING OF FIRES All fires, however small must be reported to Welsh Health Estates and the Health Board within 24 hours. Aneurin Bevan Health Board also has a duty to investigate all unwanted fire signals and take action to reduce these. These usually result in the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service being called out unnecessarily, which not only costs money, but puts other lives at risk. Page 4 of 5
7 CONSULTATION This policy is to be promoted via Health & Safety Committees and the intranet. 8 EQUALITY An equality impact assessment has been undertaken which is retained within the Health & Safety department. 9 AUDIT Compliance with this policy will be monitored via the Fire Safety Advisor s risk assessment process and the Health and Safety Team s Divisional Audit programme, which as part of the audit process, produces reports for the Aneurin Bevan Health Board Health & Safety Committee. 10 SUPPORTING POLICIES & INFORMATION Occupational Health & Safety Policy Fire Safety Policy Strategy and Procedure for the inspection and testing of portable electrical equipment. Page 5 of 5