The Bottom Line - Failure to comply with current Electrical Test and Inspection guidelines and Portable Appliance Testing Regulations may invalidate commercial insurance cover. Insurance companies assume that when giving insurance cover to a business, the owners of that business are complying with all regulations necessary.
An insurance company may reduce, delay or even refuse to pay on a claim for damages if the electrical system or an appliance that has not been tested has caused the damage, injury or even worse - death
In the event of an accident it may also constitute as a criminal offence which could result in a £5,000 fine, closure of the business and/or 6 months imprisonment.
The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994, mandatory since 1 January 1997, state that all electrical appliances, including the fixed wiring supplied for use must be safe.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 Regulation 4 (2): 'As may be necessary to prevent danger all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent so far as is reasonably practicable such danger’
Without using calabrated test instruments and carrying out dedicated tests, how can anyone be sure electrical appliances or wiring is safe?
JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING WORKS AND LOOKS FINE, DOES NOT IMPLY THAT IT'S SAFE!
It’s easy to take electrical systems for granted - just switch it on and things work. But electricity is also an invisible danger that can cause shocks, burns, and death, as well as damage to property through fires and explosions.
In many cases, with no warning of the danger to come. But, with a proper system of inspecting and testing, it goes a long way towards protecting and reducing risk and damage to yourself, others and your property.There are two main Acts of Parliament that impose a statutory duty on landlords with respect to the safety of electrical equipment:
1. The Consumer Protection Act 1987
2. The Health and Safety at Work. Act 1974
The Consumer Protection Act affects all persons who let property in the course of their business because it defines them as "suppliers", i.e. they are supplying goods to the tenant. There are several items of secondary legislation under the umbrella of the Consumer protection Act which are directly relevant to the supply of electrical goods and services to tenants.
In essence, these regulations impose a duty on landlords and Letting Agents to ensure that all electrical equipment supplied by them is safe for use by the tenant. The Consumer Protection Act provides a defence of 'due diligence', i.e. a landlord, or Letting Agent can defend a contravention of the Act if he/she can demonstrate that he/she took reasonable steps to avoid committing the offence
We can provide a fixed term electrical maintainace programme to protect, and demonstrate that reasonable steps have been taken by landlords and letting agents, incoporating regular testing of RCD's, cleaning and testing of Smoke Alarms, PAT Testing of appliancess and Electical Inspection and Testing of property. For more details:
Email electrician@a1-electricals.co.uk
Telephone 01665 711881 or07943 353107