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NAPIT and Part P Electrician in
Dudley, Stourbridge, Halesowen, Hagley, Kidderminster, Electrical
Maintenance, Fire Alarm Systems, Security Alarms, CCTV, Electric Inspections
:: Domestic, Commercial, Industrial, Landlords |
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Landlord's Legal Requirements:
Anyone who lets residential accommodation (such as houses, flats and
bedsits, holiday homes, caravans and boats) as a business activity
is required by law to ensure the equipment they supply as part of
the tenancy is safe.
The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 requires that all
mains electrical equipment (cookers, washing machines, kettles,
etc), new or second-hand, supplied with the accommodation must be
safe. Landlords therefore need to regularly maintain the electrical
equipment they supply to ensure it is safe.
The supply of goods occurs at the time of the tenancy contract. It
is, therefore, essential that property is checked prior to the
tenancy to ensure that all goods supplied are in a safe condition. A
record should be made of the goods supplied as part of the tenancy
agreement and of checks made on those goods. The record should
indicate who carried out the checks and when they did it.
It is strongly advisable to have the equipment checked before the
start of each let. It would be good practice to have the equipment
checked at regular intervals thereafter. You should obtain and
retain test reports detailing the equipment, the tests carried out
and the results.
General Legal Requirments:
The legislation of specific relevance to electrical maintenance is
the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of
Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Electricity at
Work Regulations 1989, the Workplace (Health, Safety and
Welfare) Regulations 1992 and the Provision and Use of Work
Equipment Regulations 1998.
The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 puts the duty of care
upon both the employer and the employee to ensure the safety of all
persons using the work premises. This includes the self employed.
The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999
states:
"Every employer shall make suitable and sufficient assessment of:
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(a) the risks
to the health and safety of his employees to which they are
exposed whilst at work, and
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(b) the risks
to ensure the health and safety of persons not in his employment
arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him or his
undertaking."
The Provision
and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 states:
"Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is maintained in an
efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair."
The PUWER 1998 covers most risks that can result from using work
equipment. With respect to risks from electricity, compliance with
the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 is likely to achieve
compliance with the PUWER 1998.
PUWER 1998 only applies to work equipment used by workers at work.
This includes all work equipment (fixed, transportable or portable)
connected to a source of electrical energy. PUWER does not apply to
fixed installations in a building. The electrical safety of these
installations is dealt with only by the Electricity at Work
Regulations.
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 states:
"All systems shall at all times be of such construction as to
prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, such danger."
"As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be
maintained so as to prevent, so far as reasonably practicable, such
danger."
"'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."
"'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."
Scope of the legislation
It is clear that the combination of the HSW Act 1974, the PUWER 1998
and the EAW Regulations 1989 apply to all electrical equipment used
in, or associated with, places of work. The scope extends from
distribution systems down to the smallest piece of electrical
equipment.
It is clear that there is a requirement to inspect and test all
types of electrical equipment in all work situations.
Visual electrical inspections are just £49.00
Period inspection and testing are just £185.00
PAT Testing (please see pat testing section) |
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