The Protocol: Electrical Inspection & Testing Requirements and Protocol: Electrical Safety ensure the safe use of electrical fittings and equipment at the University of Canterbury.
Electrical safety is based on ensuring equipment and fittings are tested and proven to be safe, maintained in a safe condition, only used or installed in environments suitable for which it is designed, and used in the correct manner by properly trained persons.
Electrical installation, repair and maintenance on mains voltage may only be undertaken by suitably qualified personnel.
Before using electrical equipment visually:
- Check for obvious damage, defects, or modifications in the equipment and its accessories, connectors, plugs or cord extension sockets; and for discoloration that may indicate exposure to excessive heat, chemicals or moisture
- Check that flexible cords are effectively anchored to equipment, plugs, connectors and cord extension sockets
- Isolating transformers, residual current devices, or similar, should be used for damp situations.
The University has over 40,000 electrical appliances and it is the responsibility of Schools and Departments to ensure that these are tested at appropriate intervals, and safely tagged. Testing intervals are prescribed in the Protocol: Electrical Inspection & Testing Requirements.
The University has preferred suppliers for test and tag services. Departments with qualified personnel may undertake their own test and tag servicing.
In all cases, the Department must follow the Protocol: Electrical Inspection & Testing Requirements.
