Electrical Safety in the Office

“My spidee senses are tingling…okay now they are burning!”

• Electrically powered machines, appliances or tools may become 'live' to the touch after having liquid spilt over it, and may in some extreme cases cause fires

• Alert staff for need to keep liquids well away from all equipment connected to the electricity supply.

• Advise staff to disconnect equipment from power supply before mopping up spillages.

• Inserting fingers or metal objects (screwdrivers, letter-openers) into working parts of office machines.

• Check that photocopiers and shredders can not be opened whilst power remains switched on.

• Ensure staff know correct (safe) procedures for accessing machines to clear paper jams.

• Call for technician to deal with problems which staff can not resolve using instructions provided.

• Using a series of adaptors to connect additional appliances to a power socket may overload the circuit to which it is attached, and cause an 'outage'.

• If additional appliances needed permanently, install a larger power socket (eg. 4 - sockets).

• Discourage the use of adaptors and connection of unauthorised appliances which may overload the circuit dangerously (eg. fan heaters, electric radiators in winter).

The End!

By Michael Stannard

MM3