We will try to keep this simple. If you are an Employer or Self Employed the Regulations state that you have a duty to ensure that your work place is safe for you and or any employees or people who might have cause to visit the site of work or business!

Obviously electrical appliances and equipment in the work place come under your duty of care as the responsible person.

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 puts a duty of care upon both employer (sections 2, 3 and 4 etc) and employee ( section 7) to ensure the safety of all persons using the work premises. This includes the self employed.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

Introduction
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and shall come into force on 1st April 1990.

Persons on whom duties are imposed by these Regulations
3.—(1) Except where otherwise expressly provided in these Regulations, it shall be the duty of every-

(a) employer and self-employed person to comply with the provisions of these Regulations in so far as they relate to matters which are within his control;
(2) It shall be the duty of every employee while at work-

(a) to co-operate with his employer so far as is necessary to enable any duty placed on that employer by the provisions of these Regulations to be complied with; and

(b) to comply with the provisions of these Regulations in so far as they relate to matters which are within his control.

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 PUWER

In general terms, PUWER requires that equipment provided for use at work is:
suitable for the intended use; safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and, in certain circumstances, inspected to ensure this remains the case; used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training; and accompanied by suitable safety measures, eg protective devices, markings, warnings.

HSE Prosecutions and Actual Cases!
Dont just take our word for it! Here are some real cases for the few who still need convincing!

Valve manufacturer: Proposed prosecution for failure to ensure interlocks had not been defeated on automatic machinery. Breach of regulation: Provision and Use of Work Equip Regs 1998 Fine: £3.500

TV/ RADIO/ VIDEO manufactuer; Breach of regulations: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992 (No 11) para 1,Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Fine: £5,000

PHOTO/CINE EQPT manufacturing: The kneader machine of the Toner Processing line pressrolls were not guarded. Breach of regulation: Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 section 2.1. Fine £8,000

PHOTO/CINE EQPT manufacturing: Arm broken when hand caught in unguarded in-running nip between roller and plastic film on specialist coating machine during a permitted cleaning operation. Risk identified in assessment but control measures not implemented. Previous advice and enforcement on machine guarding issues, and previous similar incident history. Breach of regulation: Provision and Use of Work Equip Regs 1998 (No 11) para 1. Fine: £25,000