Everybody is aware that electricity can be very dangerous and that’s why it’s vital to get regular electrical safety checks. There’s no headline news in that statement! That’s why many hotels, offices and businesses look at getting their sockets, appliances and switches checked by an electrical safety professional. However, what a lot of people don’t realise is that it’s also important to check the infrastructure and the wiring that goes on behind the scenes.

Which is a little strange in some ways. Most people check that their cars are serviced, even when the car is running well. But when it comes to electrics at work and at home, we can all assume that there cannot be any issues with it if it’s working well.

There are two main reasons for this. One is that you cannot see, smell or hear electricity, unlike other utilities such as gas. The other reason is that there are no or very limited government awareness campaigns that draw people’s attention to this matter.

Our company educates other companies about electrical safety checks

Although there may not be any campaigns planned by the government in the short term, it’s still a very important area of education. Unfortunately it’s often left to companies like ours to educate people about how often they should have electrical safety checks. Of course, the frequency of testing will vary with the use of the building. Buildings such as hospitals, hotels and other buildings that house many people should be tested regularly to prevent horror stories from occurring.

It’s s law in Mauritius that every employer, building owner or landlord should undertake a health & safety risk assessment which usually includes an electrical safety risk assessment of potential electrical hazards so as to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of any risk to the safety and health to which any employee is exposed whilst at work. In addition, landlords would ideally test their property each time a tenant leaves. Other buildings such as cinemas, churches, restaurants, shops and theatres should also be tested once a year.

In summary, if you have hold the responsibility for the wellbeing of employees or for members of the public, you should be giving due care to electrical safety, just as you would with any other areas of health and safety. If you’re unsure, call us on +230 660 4545 to discuss the possibility of arranging electrical safety checks to ensure that you comply with local safety and health regulations for your workplace.