Interface

Summer 2021 33 • Never cover chargers or charging devices, including using your laptop power lead in bed. • When you travel, avoid keeping all your items containing lithium-ion batteries together, especially on a plane. Check with your flight carrier for additional information or advice. • Don’t overload your sockets. • Remember counterfeit electrical charges are out there in the marketplace with many failing to meet UK safety regulations, always choose a branded, genuine product from a supplier you can trust. That bargain may end up costing you dearly! • Remember to check equipment for damage – exposed wiring, cracked casings – these can also lead to fire or injury including an electric shock to the user. WORKING FROM HOME Working from home can introduce new hazards. At work we have PAT testing in place, a yearly MOT for our electrical equipment, but we still have to remind users of the key aspects of pre-use checks and reporting damaged equipment. Any defective equipment must be taken out of use until replaced or repaired by a competent person. Laptops are great, so portable and versatile, but do you have it perched on your knee whilst working at home? Take a look underneath – see those vents? Don’t block them – a suitable hard surface should be used to allow the airflow and prevent overheating. One of the biggest causes of workplace fires is faulty electrical equipment, loose wires, overloaded plugs or extension leads – employee misuse – staff training is key and as a business it is your responsibility to ensure that all employees, including cleaning staff, are aware of the risks of using damaged equipment or misuse. Do you check your equipment (and record those checks)? Are your employees trained to carry out pre-use checks and report any damage or concerns? Are you getting the picture? The Manchester Evening News recently reported a catastrophe that resulted when one laptop was left charging overnight on a sofa. Ask yourselves the following: • How often do you check power supply cables to look for signs of damage or heating? • Is electrical equipment safely connected while charging or in use? Could an extension lead be overloaded? • Are your devices always used and charged on an appropriate hard, flat surface with adequate airflow (i.e. with the fan or exhaust ports not being obstructed)? • Have you got adequate ventilation around your electrical equipment? • If electrical equipment has been dropped or damaged, what would you do to report that and get it checked to be certain it remains safe? • If devices are not being used for a long period of time (e.g. multiple days), do you switch them off and disconnect the power supply? • How often do you check the smoke alarms in your home? Whether at work or at home don’t be the next emergency call to the Fire Brigade. << There is so much you and your employees can do to keep safe, whether it be at work or at home. We encourage you to share this advice with your employees. Please speak to your Health & Safety Advisor or contact HAE EHA’s BusinessGuard by emailing businessguard@hae.org.uk or call 44 (0)121 380 4612 .