During the summer months, Premises Managers are often asked by staff if they can bring in a fan from home. While we understand the desire to stay cool during warmer months, unapproved or untested equipment can pose fire and shock hazards, especially in older buildings with limited ventilation.
Somerset Council’s Electrical Equipment Policy explains in the Use of Equipment section that users must NOT:
- Use any electrical equipment for anything other than its intended purpose.
- Use any electrical equipment anywhere other than the intended environment.
- Mistreat, abuse or be rough with electrical equipment.
- Take apart any electrical equipment including the plug.
- Bring their own electrical equipment to use at work without a manager’s knowledge. The equipment will need to be Portal Appliance Tested (PAT) and its use approved by the Premises Manager.
- Try to carry out electrical repairs of any kind. This includes repairing cables/plugs and changing light bulbs.
All our policies and guidance documents are on our SC website: Policies and Guidance
Please use the information above to inform staff about the correct use of equipment and the importance of not bringing in fans, chargers and other electrical equipment from home.
Learn more:
HS F23a Visual Inspection – Guidance
HS F23b Visual Inspection Checklist
Blackboard course on Basic Electrical Safety
Maintaining portable electric equipment in low-risk environments – HSE
PAT (Portable appliance testing) – HSE’s answers to popular questions
