The legal starting point is simple. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, regulation 4 says electrical systems must be built and maintained to prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable. It does not give you a timetable. That part is up to you, based on risk.

Why Workplace Electrical Safety Matters

Electrical faults injure people, start fires and stop trading. HSE says around 1,000 electrical accidents at work are reported to it each year, and about 25 people die of their injuries (HSE electrical safety at work, updated 14 October 2025).

Most of those incidents are preventable with basic workplace electrical safety measures. In our experience, problems rarely come from one dramatic failure. They build up from small things: an overloaded extension lead, a missing blanking plate, a board nobody has looked at since the last tenant left.

Good workplace electrical safety also protects the business. Insurers, landlords and fire risk assessors will all ask for evidence that your installation is inspected and maintained.

6 Essential Workplace Electrical Safety Checks

These six workplace electrical safety checks cover the areas we see missed most often on business premises. None of them is complicated. The value comes from doing them consistently and keeping a record.

1. Get a current EICR for the fixed installation

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a formal inspection and test of the fixed wiring: distribution boards, circuits, sockets and lighting. NICEIC strongly recommends that business owners get one at least every five years (NICEIC, correct as of September 2025).

Some premises need shorter intervals. Sites with heavy use, damp areas, public access or industrial equipment often need checking more often. HSE’s view is that installations should be tested often enough that there is little chance of deterioration leading to danger.

2. Act on C1 and C2 codes straight away

An EICR only improves workplace electrical safety if you act on it. C1 means danger is present and needs immediate action. C2 means potentially dangerous and urgent work is needed. Either code makes the report unsatisfactory.

C3 is a recommendation, not a failure. FI means further investigation is needed. We advise clients to book C1 and C2 work before anything else on the list.

3. Keep portable equipment safe

Kettles, chargers, printers and power tools see heavy daily use. HSE says the law does not make portable appliance testing a legal requirement. It does require equipment that could cause injury to be kept in a safe condition.

For a low-risk office, HSE says user checks and visual inspections are a good way to do that. Higher-risk sites, such as workshops and kitchens, usually need formal inspection and testing by a competent person at set intervals.

4. Train staff to spot and report hazards

Staff are the early warning system for workplace electrical safety. Show them what to look for: scorch marks, warm sockets, buzzing, damaged leads and breakers that keep tripping. Give them one clear way to report it.

Make it equally clear what they must not do. Staff should never open a distribution board, reset a breaker repeatedly or attempt their own repairs.

5. Control access to distribution boards

Boards should be locked or kept in a plant room, clearly labelled and free of stored stock. An up-to-date circuit chart helps an electrician isolate the right circuit quickly in a fault, which keeps downtime down.

6. Use qualified people for all fixed wiring work

New circuits, alterations and repairs to the fixed installation should be carried out by a qualified electrician and certified to BS 7671. Ask for the certificate and keep it with your EICR.

Common Electrical Hazards in Commercial Buildings

The same handful of hazards turns up on most business premises. Knowing them helps you focus workplace electrical safety effort where it counts.

• Daisy-chained extension leads under desks and in kitchens, often overloaded.
• Damaged cables trapped under furniture, doors or racking.
• Missing covers and blanking plates on boards, exposing live parts.
• Old installations that have been altered over the years without records.
• Water near electrics in kitchens, washrooms and loading areas.
• Blocked access to boards and isolators in an emergency.

If you see any of these, fix the simple ones now and book an electrician for the rest. A problem that is visible today is cheaper to solve than one found after a fire or an outage.

Building Workplace Electrical Safety Into Your Routine

The businesses that stay compliant treat workplace electrical safety as a calendar, not a one-off job. A basic routine looks like this:

• Weekly: walk-round visual check of leads, sockets and boards.
• Monthly: emergency lighting function test and fire alarm checks, recorded in a log.
• Yearly: review portable equipment and any changes to how rooms are used.
• Every five years or sooner: EICR on the fixed installation, at the interval your electrician recommends.

Keep every certificate, report and log in one place. When an insurer or landlord asks, you can show the whole history in minutes.

Rented, Shared and Multi-Tenant Premises

In shared buildings, responsibility for workplace electrical safety is often split. The landlord may look after the incoming supply and common areas, while each tenant looks after their own unit. Check your lease so nothing falls between the two.

If you are a tenant, ask the landlord for the latest EICR for any parts they control. If you are a landlord, make sure each tenant knows who to call in an electrical emergency.

What Has Changed in 2026

BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 is now the current edition of the UK Wiring Regulations, according to the IET. New work is designed and certified to the current edition.

This does not make your existing installation unsafe overnight. An older installation is not automatically non-compliant because the standard has moved on. Your next EICR will assess it against the current edition and code anything that needs attention.

Last checked: 31 October 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an EICR a legal requirement for a business?

There is no specific law that names the EICR for commercial premises. The legal duty is to maintain electrical systems to prevent danger. An EICR is the usual way to show you have done that, and NICEIC recommends one at least every five years.

Is PAT testing a legal requirement?

No. HSE says the law does not require portable appliance testing as such. You must keep equipment safe. In a low-risk office, user checks and visual inspections are often enough.

What should staff do if they notice an electrical hazard?

Stop using the equipment, keep people away and report it straight away. If there is smoke, burning or sparking, switch off at the board only if it is safe to do so, and call for help.

Can our maintenance team do electrical repairs?

Simple tasks such as replacing a plug fuse are fine for a trained person. Work on fixed wiring, boards and circuits should be done by a qualified electrician and certified.

How often should workplace electrical safety be reviewed?

Do quick visual checks weekly and a full workplace electrical safety review at least once a year. The fixed installation needs an EICR at the interval your electrician sets, typically five years or less.

Dream Home Experts are NICEIC Approved Contractors with 35+ years of experience. We carry out EICRs, remedial work and planned maintenance for offices, shops and industrial units. See our commercial electrical services, read our guide to commercial electrical inspection frequency or our electrical safety checklist for businesses. To book, call 01908 464 431. We also offer 24/7 emergency call-outs.

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