The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires–

• “approved” means approved in writing for the time being by the Health and Safety Executive for the purposes of these Regulations or conforming with a specification approved in writing by the Health and Safety Executive for the purposes of these Regulations;

• “circuit conductor” means any conductor in a system which is intended to carry electric current in normal conditions, or to be energised in normal conditions, and includes a combined neutral and earth conductor, but does not include a conductor provided solely to perform a protective function by connection to earth or other reference point;

• “conductor” means a conductor of electrical energy;

• “danger” means risk of injury;

• “electrical equipment” includes anything used, intended to be used or installed for use, to generate, provide, transmit, transform, rectify, convert, conduct, distribute, control, store, measure or use electrical energy;

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• “injury” means death or personal injury from electric shock, electric burn, electrical explosion or arcing, or from fire or explosion initiated by electrical energy, where any such death or injury is associated with the generation, provision, transmission, transformation, rectification, conversion, conduction, distribution, control, storage, measurement or use of electrical energy;

• ...

• “system” means an electrical system in which all the electrical equipment is, or may be, electrically connected to a common source of electrical energy, and includes such source and such equipment.

Unless the context otherwise requires, any reference in these Regulations to–

Except where otherwise expressly provided in these Regulations, it shall be the duty of every–

It shall be the duty of every employee while at work–

All systems shall at all times be of such construction as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger.

As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, such danger.

Every work activity, including operation, use and maintenance of a system and work near a system, shall be carried out in such a manner as not to give rise, so far as is reasonably practicable, to danger.

Any equipment provided under these Regulations for the purpose of protecting persons at work on or near electrical equipment shall be suitable for the use for which it is provided, be maintained in a condition suitable for that use, and be properly used.

mechanical damage;

the effects of the weather, natural hazards, temperature or pressure;

the effects of wet, dirty, dusty or corrosive conditions; or

any flammable or explosive substance, including dusts, vapours or gases,

be suitably covered with insulating material and as necessary protected so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger; or

have such precautions taken in respect of them (including, where appropriate, their being suitably placed) as will prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger.

Subject to paragraph (3), where necessary to prevent danger, suitable means (including, where appropriate, methods of identifying circuits) shall be available for–

In paragraph (1), “isolation” means the disconnection and separation of the electrical equipment from every source of electrical energy in such a way that this disconnection and separation is secure.

Paragraph (1) shall not apply to electrical equipment which is itself a source of electrical energy but, in such a case as is necessary, precautions shall be taken to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger.

it is unreasonable in all the circumstances for it to be dead; and

it is reasonable in all the circumstances for him to be at work on or near it while it is live; and

suitable precautions (including where necessary the provision of suitable protective equipment) are taken to prevent injury.

Subject to paragraph (2), the Health and Safety Executive may, by a certificate in writing, exempt–

or any class of the above, from any requirement or prohibition imposed by these Regulations and any such exemption may be granted subject to conditions and to a limit of time and may be revoked by a certificate in writing at any time.

The Executive shall not grant any such exemption unless, having regard to the circumstances of the case, and in particular to–

it is satisfied that the health and safety of persons who are likely to be affected by the exemption will not be prejudiced in consequence of it.

in Great Britain; and

outside Great Britain as sections 1 to 59 and 80 to 82 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 apply by virtue of the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) Order 1995.

the master or crew of a sea-going ship or to the employer of such persons, in relation to the normal ship-board activities of a ship’s crew under the direction of the master; or

any person, in relation to any aircraft or hovercraft which is moving under its own power.

The instruments specified in column 1 of Part I of Schedule 2 are revoked to the extent specified in the corresponding entry in column 3 of that Part.

The enactments and instruments specified in Part II of Schedule 2 shall be modified to the extent specified in that Part.

In the Mines and Quarries Act 1954, the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act 1969^f1 and the Mines Management Act 1971^f2, and in regulations made under any of those Acts, or in health and safety regulations, any reference to any of those Acts shall be treated as including a reference to these Regulations.

in section 64(2) (which relates to safety-lamps) after the word “one” insert “conforming with the provisions of regulation 19(2)(a) to (d) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 or”;

in section 182(1) (which defines “permitted lights”) the words “or health and safety regulations” shall be substituted for the words “or Regulations 18 and 18A of the Coal and Other Mines (Safety-Lamps and Lighting) Regulations 1956 as substituted and inserted respectively by the Coal and Other Mines (Safety-Lamps and Lighting) (Amendment) Regulations 1983”.

in regulation 51(3)(c) (which requires the provision of lamps and torches in confined spaces in vessels) the words “of an appropriate type” shall be substituted for the words “of a safety type approved for the purpose of this Regulation”;

in paragraphs (1) and (3) of regulation 59 (which impose restrictions with respect to the application etc. of naked lights, fires, lamps and heated rivets in oil-carrying vessels), the words “a lamp of an appropriate type” shall be substituted for the words “a safety lamp of a type approved for the purpose of this Regulation” where they respectively appear.