Emergency procedures following an electrical incident

Train all workers to take these steps if someone receives an electric shock.

1. Prevent another casualty. Raise the alarm and arrange safe isolation. Switch off only if it is safe to do so; do not approach high-voltage equipment or fallen lines. Keep clear until the supply owner or authorised competent person confirms safety. Do not improvise a rescue using wood, plastic or another item assumed to be insulating.
2. Do not touch the person who received the shock. If someone is in direct contact with electricity, do not touch them under any circumstances. Stay calm and keep away.
3. Call the emergency services. Call for help in the case of an electrical hazard. This will include staff trained in emergency first aid.
4. Give first aid.
   • Once the electrical danger is controlled, follow the dispatcher or trained first-aider's instructions. If the casualty is unresponsive and breathing normally, use the recovery position where appropriate and keep checking breathing.
   • If they are not breathing normally, including abnormal gasping, start CPR as trained or directed by the dispatcher, and use an AED when available. Do not approach while the electrical danger remains.
   • Follow competent first-aid instructions for burns and other injuries without delaying CPR or emergency medical care.
5. Follow up. A doctor will check the person for burns, fractures, dislocations and other injuries. The person may be admitted to hospital or a burns centre.

Inspection and maintenance strategies

Electrical equipment must be maintained to prevent danger. The type and frequency of user checks, inspections and testing depend on the equipment, the environment it is used in and the results of previous checks.

Electrical equipment should be checked by eye to spot early signs of damage or deterioration. A competent person should test it more thoroughly, often enough that there is little chance it will become dangerous between tests. Equipment used in a harsh environment should be tested more often than equipment that is less likely to be damaged or become unsafe.

It is good practice to decide how often each piece of equipment should be checked, write this down, perhaps as a checklist, make sure the checks are carried out accordingly and record the results. Change how often you check according to the number and seriousness of the faults found.

An appropriate maintenance system is strongly recommended. It can include:

• user checks by employees, such as a pre-use check for loose cables or signs of fire damage
• a formal visual inspection by a suitably competent person; internal inspection of a rewirable plug is done only after disconnection, and moulded plugs must not be opened
• portable appliance testing

User checks (visual)

These should be done before most electrical equipment is used, with the equipment disconnected. Employees should look for:

• damage to the lead, including fraying, cuts or heavy scuffing, for example from floor box covers
• damage to the plug, for example to the cover or bent pins
• tape applied to the lead to join leads together
• coloured wires visible where the lead joins the plug, which means the cable is not gripped where it enters the plug
• damage to the outer cover of the equipment itself, including loose parts or screws
• signs of overheating, such as burn marks or staining on the plug, lead or equipment
• equipment that has been used or stored in unsuitable conditions, such as wet or dusty environments or where water spills are possible

These checks also apply to extension leads and their plugs and sockets. The user should check by eye when the equipment is taken into use and during use. Any faults should be reported to management and the equipment taken out of use immediately. Management should take effective steps to make sure the equipment is not used again until a competent person has repaired it. For example, disconnect safely, label and securely withdraw the defective equipment. Repairs or alteration of a plug belong to a competent person; users must not cut off or dismantle plugs as a routine response.

Formal visual inspections

You do not need to be an electrician to carry out a visual inspection, but you do need to know what to look for and have enough knowledge to avoid danger to yourself and others. Simple training can give you, or a member of staff, the basic electrical knowledge to carry out a visual inspection competently.

The competent inspector includes the user's checks and, where appropriate, disconnects the equipment and inspects a rewirable plug internally. Do not open a moulded plug. For a suitable rewirable plug check that:

• there are no signs of internal damage, overheating or water damage to the plug
• the correct fuse is in use and it is a proper fuse, not a piece of wire, a nail or the like
• the wires, including the earth where fitted, are attached to the correct terminals
• the terminal screws are tight
• the cord grip holds the outer part (sheath) of the cable tightly
• no bare wire is visible other than at the terminals

Summary notes for Element 11 · Cheat sheet · Glossary. A study aid, not published or endorsed by NEBOSH.