These Regulations impose requirements regarding the installation and use of electrical networks and equipment owned or operated by generators, distributors (which include, in these Regulations, transmitters), and meter operators, and the participation of suppliers in providing electricity to consumers. Agents, contractors and sub-contractors of duty holders also have duties under these Regulations.

The Regulations impose duties on persons (referred to in the Memorandum as ‘duty holders’) in respect of systems, electrical equipment and conductors, and in respect of work activities on or near electrical equipment. Some duties are subject to the term ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’. Where this qualifying term is absent, the requirement in the regulation is said to be absolute. Certain absolute requirements in the Regulations (Regulations 4(4), 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16), are subject to the defence provision of Regulation 29 which provides that it shall be a defence for a duty holder who can establish that all reasonable steps were taken and all due diligence exercised to avoid committing the offence.

Interpretation (Regulation 2)
The following definitions are important in understanding the underlying principles of the Regulations.

• 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. This will include every type of electrical equipment from a 400kV overhead line to a battery powered hand-lamp
• Conductor: means a conductor of electrical energy. This means any material which is capable of conducting electricity, and therefore includes both metals and all other conducting materials
• Danger: this is defined as “risk of injury”, and its prevention forms the basis of the Regulations.

However, in order to differentiate a situation where danger cannot be prevented – for example, work on live conductors – the Regulations also include a definition for injury in terms of certain classes of potential harm. In this case, danger may be present but injury must be prevented

Persons on whom duties are imposed (Regulation 3)
There is an absolute duty on employers, employees and the self-employed to comply with the provisions of these Regulations in all matters under their control. Employees have an additional duty to co-operate with their employers to enable the employers to fulfil their duties.

Systems, work activities and protective equipment (Regulation 4)
This regulation requires:

• all systems shall at all times be of such construction as to prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable
• all systems shall at all times be maintained so as to prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable
• every work activity, including the operation, use and maintenance of a system and work near a system, to be carried out in such a manner as not to give rise to danger, so far as is reasonably practicable
• any protective equipment provided for work on or near electrical equipment must be suitable for the intended use, well maintained and properly used

Strength and capability of electrical equipment (Regulation 5)
No electrical equipment shall be put into use where its strength and capability may be exceeded in such a way as may give rise to danger.

Adverse or hazardous environments (Regulation 6)
Electrical equipment which may reasonably forseeably be exposed to:

• 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 and gases shall be of such construction or as necessary protected as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger arising from such exposure.

Insulation, protection and placing of conductors (Regulation 7)
All conductors in a system which may give rise to danger shall either:

• be suitably covered with insulating material and as necessary protected so as to prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable or
• have such precautions taken (including being suitably placed) as will prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable

Earthing or other suitable precautions (Regulation 8)
Precautions must be taken, either by earthing or other suitable means, to prevent danger arising when any conductor (other than a circuit conductor) which may reasonably forseeably become charged as a result of either the use of a system, or a fault in a system, becomes charged. For the purposes of this regulation, a conductor is regarded as earthed when it is connected to the general mass of earth by conductors of sufficient strength and current-carrying capability to discharge electrical energy to earth.

Integrity of referenced conductors (Regulation 9)
If a circuit conductor is connected to earth or to any other reference point, nothing which might reasonably be expected to give rise to danger by breaking the electrical continuity or introducing high impedance shall be placed in that conductor unless suitable precautions are taken to prevent that danger.

Connections (Regulation 10)
Every joint and connection in a system, whether temporary or permanent, must be mechanically and electrically suitable for use, so as to prevent danger.

Means for protecting from excess current (Regulation 11)
Efficient means, suitably located, shall be provided for protecting from excess of current every part of a system as may be necessary to prevent danger.

Means for cutting off the supply and for isolation (Regulation 12)
Where necessary to prevent danger, suitable means (including where appropriate, methods of identifying circuits) shall be available for:

• cutting off the supply of electrical energy to any electrical equipment and
• the isolation of any electrical equipment

This does not apply to electrical equipment which is itself a source of electrical energy but in such cases reasonably practicable precautions must be taken to prevent danger.

In the context above, “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.

Precautions for work on equipment made dead (Regulation 13)
Adequate precautions must be taken to prevent electrical equipment, which has been made ‘dead’ in order to prevent danger while work is carried out on or near that equipment, from becoming electrically charged during that work, if danger is likely to arise.

Work on or near live conductors (Regulation 14)
No person shall be engaged in any work activity on or so near any live conductor (other than one suitably covered with insulating material so as to prevent danger) that danger may arise unless:

• it is unreasonable in all the circumstances for the conductor to be dead and
• it is reasonable in all the circumstances for the worker to be at work on or near it while it is live and
• suitable precautions (including suitable protective equipment) are taken to prevent injury

Working space, access and lighting (Regulation 15)
Adequate working space, adequate means of access and adequate lighting must be provided at all electrical equipment on which or near which, work is being done in circumstances which may give rise to danger.

Persons to be competent to prevent danger and injury (Regulation 16)
No person may be engaged in any work activity where technical knowledge or experience is necessary to prevent danger, or injury, unless they possess such knowledge or experience, or are under adequate supervision as appropriate.

A new edition of the Memorandum of Guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations was published in March 2007. This new edition ofHSR25 is intended to help dutyholders meet the requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. It is of interest and practical help to engineers (including those involved in the design, construction, operation or maintenance of electrical systems), technicians and their managers. It sets out the Regulations and gives technical and legal guidance on them. The purpose of this Memorandum is to highlight the nature of the precautions in general terms to help in the achievement of high standards of electrical safety in compliance with the duties imposed.

The Institution of Electrical Engineers Requirements for Electrical Installations (the IEE Wiring Regulations) are non-statutory regulations. The IEE Regulations also have the status of a British Standard BS 7671: 2001 Requirements for Electrical Installations. They relate principally to the design, selection, erection, inspection and testing of electrical installations, whether permanent or temporary, in and about buildings generally and to agricultural and horticultural premises, construction sites and caravans and their sites. The IEE Wiring Regulations are a code of practice which is widely recognised and accepted in the UK and compliance with them is likely to achieve compliance with relevant aspects of the 1989 Regulations (above).

As well as the standard reporting requirements for death, dangerous occurrences, injury and disease under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (see Chapter 49), there are certain requirements that are specific to electricity:

• a major injury includes “any injury resulting from an electric shock or electrical burn (including any electrical burn caused by arcing or arcing products) leading to unconsciousness or requiring resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours”
• a dangerous occurrence includes “any unintentional incident in which plant and equipment either: comes into contact with an uninsulated overhead electric line in which the voltage exceeds 200 volts; or causes an electrical discharge from such an electric line by coming in close proximity to it”
• a dangerous occurrence also includes “an electrical short circuit or overload attended by fire or explosion which results in the stoppage of the plant involved for more than 24 hours or which has the potential to cause the death of any person”

As described in Chapter 49, the death of any person as a result of an accident arising out of or in connection with work; or any person at work suffering a major injury as a result of an accident arising out of or in connection with work; or a dangerous occurrence must be notified to the enforcing authority without delay.