Portable

Equipment
Safety
MIR,Bassam,Shayan
Why is it necessary to maintain
electrical equipment?
• Electric shock can kill or seriously injure.

• Many serious shocks occur when the current flow is from

hand to hand, because the route the current takes is
through or near the heart.
 Who has responsibilities?
• Users of electrical equipment duty-holders with
responsibility for electrical maintenance
• The competent person carrying out the formal visual
inspection and the inspections and tests
• Other duty-holders such as company directors, managers or
building services managers
• Hirers and suppliers of hired equipment
 What is portable Equipment
• Equipment that is intended to be connected to a generator
or a fixed installation by means of a flexible cable and either
a plug and socket or a spur box, or similar means. This
includes equipment that is either hand-held or hand-
operated while connected to the supply, intended to be
moved while connected to the supply, or likely to be moved
while connected to the supply.
• An appliance of less than 18 kg in mass that is intended to
be moved while in operation or an appliance which can
easily be moved from one place to another. E.g. toaster,
food mixer, vacuum cleaner, fan heater.
 Class I and Class II
• Class I: This equipment relies on the metallic (exposed
conducting) parts of the equipment being effectively
earthed. If this earth connection is lost there is a possibility
of the exterior of the equipment becoming live, with a
potentially fatal result. Anyone touching live metal will be in
contact with electricity
• Class II: This equipment is constructed with high-integrity
insulation and does not have nor need an earth connection
to maintain safety. If you cannot see this symbol, you should
assume that the electrical equipment is a Class I appliance.
 Types of Electrical Equipment
 Portable: An appliance of less than 18 kg in mass that is
intended to be moved while in operation
 Movable: 18kg in mass and not fixed
 Handheld: This is equipment intended to be held in the
hand during normal use
 Stationary :The equipment has a mass exceeding 18 kg and
is not provided with carrying handles
 Fixed: This is equipment or appliance which is fastened
to support
“Failure to maintain equipment is a
major cause of electrical accidents
involving portable equipment”
 Risk Assessment
1. Type of equipment – the vast majority of which will be
either earthed equipment or double insulated equipment
2. Whether it is hand-held or not.
3. Manufacturer’s recommendations
4. Initial integrity and soundness of the equipment
5. Age of the equipment
 Risk Assessment
6. Working environment
7. Frequency of use and duty cycle of the equipment
8. Foreseeable misuse of the equipment
9. Effects of any modifications or repairs to the equipment
10. Analysis of previous records of maintenance
 Portable equipment and
cables
• Portable equipment and the electrical connections to it (e.g
the plug and flexible cable and its terminations) are more
vulnerable to, physical damage and wear or harsh treatment
in use than equipment which forms part of the fixed
installation
• The risk of receiving an electric shock will be greater when
the user of portable electrical equipment is standing on a
surface that is a good electrical conductor
 Portable equipment and
cables
• Most vulnerable item of any portable equipment is often the
cable
• The cable may deteriorate due to ageing or environmental
effects, abuse or misuse, fail because of repeated flexing, or
suffer mechanical damage.
• Flexing of the cable will eventually cause the conductor to
fracture and the sheath to crack
• Damage usually occurs first at the cord grip or gland where
the cable enters the equipment or its plug. The damage is
usually apparent at the user check
 Maintenance Checks
Effective maintenance of portable electric equipment can be
achieved by a combination of:

 Checks by the user;

 Formal Visual Inspections by a competent person;
 A Combined Inspection and Test, also known as a portable
appliance test (PAT), by an electrically competent person.
 User checks
 Damage (apart from light scuffing) to the Supply Cable
 Damage to the Plug or Connector, e.g. the casing is
cracking or the pins are bent
 Joints, including taped joints in the cable;
 Outer Sheath of the cable is not effectively secured where it
enters the plug or the equipment.
 The equipment has been subjected to conditions for which
it is not suitable, e.g it is wet or excessively contaminated;
 Damage to the external casing of the equipment
 User checks
 Loose Parts or screws;
 Evidence of overheating (burn marks or discolouration

These checks also apply to extension leads, plugs and sockets.

 Formal Visual Inspections
Should be performed by a member of staff who has sufficient
information and knowledge of what to look for…
 Electrical equipment is being used in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions
 The equipment is suitable for the job
 Any change of circumstances
 The user has reported any issues
 Checks could include removing the plug cover to ensure
there are no signs of internal damage, overheating or water
damage to the plug
 Formal Visual Inspections
 Correct fuse is in use and it is a proper fuse, not a piece of
wire, nail etc;
 Wires including the earth, where fitted, are attached to the
correct terminals
 Terminal screws are tight;
 Cord grip is holding the outer part (sheath) of the cable
tightly; and
 No bare wire is visible other than at the terminals.
Suggested Frequencies
 Record Keeping
The Head of Department is responsible for ensuring
that records relating to staff, equipment and work
activities are maintained:

 Significant findings of the risk assessment;

 Results of Inspections and testing;
 Maintenance of equipment etc.; routine and as a
result of faults;
 Instruction and training that has been given to
individuals.
STEP-BY-STEP Checks
 User Checks
The Plug
Check the following:
 Is it securely connected to the appliance cable?
 Are there any inner wires showing?
 Are all the pins secure?
 Are any of the pins bent?
 Is there any visible evidence of overheating such as
blackening of
 Pins or burn marks on the casing?
 User Checks
The Cable
Check the following:
 Is it secure at both ends?
 Note: All that is required is an external inspection to make
sure the cable is not obviously badly connected or poorly
anchored.
 Are any inner wires visible?
 Is it frayed, damaged or broken in any way?
 Are there any taped joints?
 Is outer sheath gripped where it enters the plug or
equipment?
 User Checks
The Equipment
Check the following:
 Is the equipment suitable for its location?
 Is it being used for its intended purpose as prescribed by
the manufacturer; (this should also be addressed in any Risk
 Assessment).
 Are there any loose parts or cracks in the casing of the
 equipment?
 Formal Visual Inspection

Formal visual inspection involves checking the

plug, cable and the outer casing of the
equipment in more detail than for a ‘user
check’
 Plugs
Check the following:
 Are the wires attached to the correct terminals?
Live (L)_____Brown
Neutral (N)___Blue
Earth (E)_____Green and Yellow
 Are any bare wires visible other than at the terminals?
 Are the terminal screws tight?
 Is the plug firmly clamped to the outer sheath of the cable?
 Is the plug fitted with the appropriate fuse?
 Plugs
 Are there any signs of internal damage, overheating or
entry of liquid, dirt or dust?
 Is the flex securely attached to the flex-grip of the plug by its
primary insulation?
 POWER TOOLS
Power tools can be hazardous when improperly used. There
are several types of power tools, based on the power source
they use: electric, pneumatic, liquid fuel, hydraulic, and
powder-actuated.
The following general precautions shall be observed by power
tool users:
 Never carry a tool by the cord or hose
 Never remove prongs from any cords
 Never stand in or near water when using tools
 Always use a Ground Fault Circuit Interprupter (GFCI) with
electrical tools if working in a wet environment
 Never “yank” the cord or the hose to disconnect it from the
receptacle
 Keep cords and hoses away from heat, oil and sharp edges
 Replace all frayed and/or damaged extension cords. Do not
try to tape cords
 Disconnect tools when not in use, before servicing and
when changing accessories such as blades, bits and cutters
 All observers shall be kept at a safe distance away from the
work area
 Secure work with clamps or a vise, freeing both hands to
operate the tool
 Avoid accidental starting. The worker shall not hold a finger
on the switch button while carrying a plugged-in tool;
 Tools shall be maintained with care. They shall be kept sharp
and clean for the best performance.
 Follow instructions in the user’s manual for maintenance,
lubricating and changing accessories;
 Maintain good footing and balance;
 Avoid loose fitting clothes, ties or jewelry such as bracelets,
 Use tools that are either double-insulated or grounded
(three-pronged)
 Keep work area well lit when operating electric tools;
 Ensure that cords and hoses do not pose as a tripping
hazard
 All portable electric tools that are damaged shall be
removed from use and tagged “Do Not Use”. This shall be
done by supervisors and/or employees.