Outdoor electrical safety in hospitality settings

If you own or manage a business such as a pub, restaurant, café or hotel, you may have extended your venue to make the most of your outdoor space by creating an outdoor hospitality area by adding equipment such as outdoor lighting, heating and speakers etcetera.

Winter and spring are good times to prepare your outdoor space and make sure it is safe for use for your customers so they can enjoy time outdoors with friends and family when the warmer weather arrives.

Arun District Council has identified electrical safety as a priority action and is focussing on electrical safety in outdoor hospitality areas. This follows the tragic death of a seven-year-old boy who suffered a fatal shock after touching defective lighting in a pub garden in Essex in September 2018.

The council wants to work with the hospitality sector to increase awareness of electrical safety standards and fire hazards, particularly in outdoor areas.

Your responsibilities

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 requires that any electrical equipment which has the potential to cause injury is maintained in a safe condition.

Venue owners and/or managers must ensure that both the fixed electrical installation and electrical appliances are inspected by a competent person at appropriate intervals.

Any work to the electrical installation must be carried out by a competent electrical contractor who can work in a commercial setting.

Outdoor electrical equipment such as lights and heaters must be specifically designed for outdoor use and should have a UKCA mark or a CE mark.

UKCA and CE marks

Ensuring your outdoor equipment is safe

Before installing outdoor electrical equipment, consider:

  • could extra low voltage or solar equipment be used to provide a safer installation?
  • is the equipment suitable for outdoor use?
  • is the equipment damaged at all?
  • is any existing equipment in good condition and compatible with the equipment to be installed?
  • can it accommodate the electrical load so that circuits and sockets are not overloaded?
  • is it connected to a socket protected by a suitable RCD (residual current device)?
  • are all sockets in a good condition and, where necessary, suitable for use outside?
  • are all sockets in a location where they won't be accessed or damaged by customers?
  • has the equipment been fully removed from its packaging before use?

You should also ensure that the electrical supply is switched off before connecting or installing equipment.

During installation and when using outdoor electrical equipment, the HSE suggest you:

  • read and follow the manufacturer's instructions and keep these for future reference
  • ensure equipment is installed in locations where it will not be damaged and is away from flammable materials and decorations
  • check equipment regularly for damage and/or water ingress
  • switch off lighting equipment before replacing failed lamps and use the correct replacement lamp
  • keep equipment packaging for future storage
  • do not store equipment in damp or excessively hot conditions
  • only purchase equipment from a reputable supplier

Routine checklist for portable electrical apparatus

This checklist is intended as a guide and certain apparatus may need different or additional inspections and tests. The checks and any remedial actions necessary should be carried out by a suitably competent person.

You can download a PDF version of the checklist for your own use here: Electrical Safety Checklist.pdf [pdf] 143KB 

1. Documentation: Fixed wiring inspection records/ Electrical Condition Reports (EICR): This report should cover circuits from the meter and consumer unit supplying light switches, sockets, wired-in equipment (such as cookers, extract systems). It should be dated within past five years (or sooner, depending on your business type). You may choose to test more frequently.

2. Evidence of remedial works: Where faults in the electrical installation have been identified.

3. Portable appliance testing (PAT): Where appropriate. Frequency depends on use and should be reviewed from time to time.

4. Equipment: note the make, model and serial number.

5. User inspection: With the equipment disconnected, perform the following checks:

Routine checklist for portable electrical apparatus
Item What to look for Pass condition
1. Mains plug Check for broken casing, and cable properly clamped. No cracks in plug casing. No damage allowing contact with plug internal connections. Cable clamped securely by outer sheath. No inner insulation visible.
2. Mains lead Check for cuts, splits and crush damage. No inner (coloured brown, blue or green/yellow) insulation visible, no bulges in cable, no kinks or twists or taped up joints.
3. (a) Equipment connector - or Check for broken casing on equipment and cable connectors. Check cable clamp. No cracks in plug socket casing. No damage allowing contact with plug or socket internal connections. Cable clamped securely by outer sheath. No inner insulation visible.
3. (b) Equipment cable entry Check grommet or clamp still there. Check cable clamp. No sharp edges on contact with cable. Cable clamped securely. No inner insulation visible.
4. Mains on/off switch, voltage selector switch, fuse holders et cetera Check for broken insulation. No cracked insulation, no loose parts, no parts missing.
5. Equipment housing Check for general condition. Check for loose parts inside. No holes (large enough to put a finger in) close to mains cable or switches. No rattles when you tilt it a quarter of a turn.

6. Pass/fail?: If fail, what action have you taken to make it safe? 

Other hazards to consider

As well as electrical hazards, you should make regular checks of your outside hospitality areas. Things to check include:

  • tripping hazards such as tree roots and wires from outdoor electrical equipment
  • slipping hazards such as pathways which are covered in moss that could become slippery when wet
  • animal droppings on surfaces, especially in areas where food is consumed
  • damaged outdoor furniture that could break when used or cause cuts and splinters
  • damage to play equipment - this should be suitably maintained
  • wasps' nests that could be disturbed by employees or the public

Accident and incident investigation and reporting

Please remember it is important that any workplace accidents or incidents are recorded and fully investigated to enable measures to be taken to prevent a recurrence. 

Certain incidents which are work related, must be reported to HSE, for example, if an employee is seriously injured at work or a member of the public is taken to hospital and receives treatment for their injury because of an incident at your venue.

More information on reporting incidents can be found on the HSE website: https://hse.gov.uk/riddor/

For further help, please contact Arun District Council

Phone 01903 737755

health.safety@arun.gov.uk

www.arun.gov.uk/health-safety-advice

More information on electrical safety can be found on the HSE website: https://hse.gov.uk/electricity/