Employers are responsible for ensuring the safety of their employees, including taking the necessary protective measures when they are working with electrical systems. There are five general safety rules when it comes to dealing with repair to electrical systems:
- Disconnect completely
- Secure against re-connection
- Verify the installation is dead
- Carry out earthing and short-circuiting
- Provide protection against adjacent live parts
Qualified electricians are familiar with these rules, but they also understand another important fact: these rules will only keep them safe if the equipment they are using is also up to date and functioning properly.