What does the law say?

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
This requires that any electrical equipment that has the potential to cause injury is maintained in a safe condition.

The Regulations do not specify what needs to be done, by whom or how frequently and it is left to the organisation to decide the level of maintenance needed according to the risk of an item becoming faulty.

They don't make inspection or testing of electrical appliances a legal requirement
They do not make it a legal requirement to undertake this annually.

HSCA Regulation 12: safe care and treatment
Paragraph 2 (e) requires you to ensure that "the equipment used by the service provider for providing care or treatment to a service user is safe for such use and is used in a safe way"

Save

Useful Gadgets

Kewtech KEWCHECK103 Mains Wiring Socket Tester	Usual price range for this type of device - £9 to £25
An easy to use gadget for an instant check that a socket is safe to use. There are many versions on the market, we have picked this particular one because:- No electrical contact - just plug in Safe and easy to use by any staff Simple audible alarm, plug it in and listen for the tone

Masterplug Single Socket RCD Safety Adaptor, 112 x 72.3 x 50.5 mm, Black	Usual price range for this type of device - £8 to £15
An RCD, or residual current device, is a life-saving device which is designed to prevent you from getting a fatal electric shock if you touch something live, such as a bare wire or faulty equipment. It can also provide some protection against electrical fires. RCDs offer a level of personal protection that ordinary fuses and circuit-breakers cannot provide. These are also widely availablefrom any hardware or DIY store Easy to use - just plug it into a socket and then your appliance into the RCD Useful for common use items such as Kettles; microwaves; fans DO NOT USE on medical equipment or vaccine fridges