Electrical safety

Many people are injured by electricity in workshops. Poor electrical safety practices can cause shocks and burns, as well as fires and explosions.

Electricity supply

• Make sure you know where the electrical switchgear for your workshop is located.
• All electrical switches and fuses should be clearly labeled so that you know which circuits and functions they control. In the case of an emergency, you may need to know how to shut off the electricity supply to a work area, or to your entire workshop .

• Keep the switch and distribution covers closed. It is important that you do not block or obstruct access to this installation, so keep equipment and tools well away so emergency access is not hindered.
• There should be a sufficient number of socket outlets in your work area for all your needs. Do not connect multiple appliances to a single socket with a simple double adaptor. If necessary, use a multi-outlet safety plug board that has a built-in overload cutout feature.

• Electric socket outlets should be at least one meter above floor level to reduce the risk of igniting spilt fuel or other flammable liquids.

• Always switch the socket off before connecting or disconnecting any electrically powered device.

Portable electrical equipment

• If you need to use an extension lead, make sure that it is made of flexible cable – not the stiffer type of domestic cabling – and that it is fitted with an earth wire. The cable should be neoprene-covered as this material resists oil damage.

• Portable electric tools and hand lamps, particularly those that operate at 240 volts, are often sources of serious shock and burn accidents. Be particularly careful when using these items. Always inspect the cable for damage and check the security of the attached plug before connecting the item to the supply and switching it on.

• Choose to use 110-volt or lower voltage tools if they are available. If you have to use 240-volt tools, only use ‘double-insulated’ or ‘all-insulated’ tools.
• Never use any high voltage tool in a wet environment.
• Air operated tools cannot give you an electric shock, so these are safer to use in the wet.
• Electric hand lamps are a common source of shocks, especially if they are the wrong type for the purpose, or if they are poorly constructed or maintained.
• All hand lamps should be ‘double-insulated’ or ‘all-insulated’, and the bulb should be completely enclosed in a transparent insulating case, or protected within a robust insulating cage. The bulbs are very vulnerable to impact and must not be used without this protection.
• Incandescent bulbs present an extreme fire hazard if broken in the presence of flammable vapors or liquids and should not be used in repair shops. Fluorescent bulbs, while still hazardous, are much safer.

• If available, choose to use hand lamps that operate at lower voltages, such as 110 volts or less. Only totally enclosed hose-proof hand lamps operating at 24 volts or less should be used in a wet environment. Under no circumstances should mains power be used in a lead light application.
• Even very low voltage hand lamps can still ignite petrol or flammable vapor and must not be used in areas where these may be present, such as an inspection pit or a paint-spraying area.
• Always inspect the power cable for damage and check the security of the attached plug before connecting a hand lamp to the power supply and switching it on.
• Always switch off and unplug a hand lamp before changing the bulb.