General principles of electrical safety

It is important to take positive steps to manage electrical safety, not just to react to accidents or situations as they occur. For example, equipment should not be left until a fault occurs – the aim is to prevent danger. If faults are not found until equipment is to be used, it could be too late to repair or replace it.

It is also important to remember responsibilities under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) to carry out sufficient risk assessments within properties. This responsibility also extends to all electrical systems and equipment. Please see the risk assessment section for further information.

Although the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that systems (and all equipment) are maintained, the regulations do not explicitly state how often any PAT assessment or testing should be carried out. We recommend all churches perform PAT testing on a regular basis, such as annually.