The run up to Christmas can be something of a juggernaut, with urgent deadlines intermingling with the excitement of staff parties. However your business spends the next few weeks, though, it’s important to ensure that everyone using and entering your workplace can do so in safety.
It’s likely, for example, that you’ll be decorating the office, and probably with electric Christmas lights for the tree and elsewhere.
With more than one in 40 people having suffered an electric shock due to a faulty set, it’s vital therefore to make sure that they’ve been PAT tested to guarantee compliance. And even before they make it to your office, encourage whoever’s in charge of procurement to check that the lights they buy have the relevant safety marks on the packaging.
When you’re about to use your existing lights, check that they haven’t deteriorated in the past year. If there’s even the smallest sign of damage, don’t take the risk. Not only that, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions, which will no doubt include keeping them a safe distance away from any flammable materials and – crucially – to turn them off overnight. Whether they’re decorating a real or artificial tree, or simply adorning your office walls, they can potentially be a fire risk if left unattended for long periods.
With additional demand on your electrical sockets over the festive period it’s tempting to overload extension cables, and even to daisy chain them, but that’s to be avoided at all costs. Depending on the temperatures, you may also be relying on electric fans and heaters to provide some additional warmth. If that’s the case, avoid leaving them running for long periods and never allow them to become covered. Finally, should you take an extended Christmas break and your premises be either at reduced occupancy or even completely vacant, switch off all electrical appliances in order to prevent an unexpected surge and therefore a potential fire which could go undetected.
Away from the electrics, consider general Health & Safety measures such as removing leaves and treating icy paths to prevent slips and falls, and check that your emergency lighting is functioning correctly should it ever need to be called upon.
At MS Electrical we specialise in fixed wire testing and PAT testing for companies and landlords in and around Cambridge. Why not call us on 01223 850301 or complete our enquiry form to request a no-obligation quotation?