Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (SI 1989/635)
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and dental equipment
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that electrical systems are constructed and maintained so as to prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable, and that work on or near them is carried out safely. 'System' covers everything from the fixed installation of the building to the equipment plugged into it, so dental chairs, compressors and suction plant are all within the regulations.
In plain English
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that electrical systems are constructed and maintained so as to prevent danger, so far as is reasonably practicable, and that work on or near them is carried out safely. 'System' covers everything from the fixed installation of the building to the equipment plugged into it, so dental chairs, compressors and suction plant are all within the regulations.
The regulations do not specify how maintenance is to be done or how often. HSE guidance (HSR25, and INDG236 on portable equipment) explains that the aim is a maintenance regime proportionate to the risk, with records that show it is being followed. There is no legal requirement for a particular test or label; the requirement is that the system is safe.
Dental equipment adds a further consideration: much of it is medical electrical equipment, for which the manufacturer's instructions and the relevant standards define how in-service safety checks should be done. A generic appliance test is not always the right approach for equipment connected to a patient.
Who does what
Your responsibility as the provider
- Making sure the fixed electrical installation is maintained, which is usually demonstrated through periodic inspection and testing by a suitably qualified electrician
- Deciding how electrical equipment (portable, movable and fixed) will be checked and maintained, proportionate to its risk and following the manufacturer's instructions
- Making sure anyone working on electrical systems is competent to do so
- Keeping records of inspection, testing and maintenance
- Removing damaged or unsafe equipment from use
What Dynamo Dental delivers directly
Work on the fixed electrical installation (new circuits, isolators, periodic inspection and testing) is not part of our dental engineering scope. It may be arranged separately through Electrigent Ltd, subject to confirmation.
For the equipment we maintain, Dynamo Dental:
- Carries out the electrical safety and functional checks the manufacturer's service schedule specifies, and records the results on the service report
- Inspects leads, plugs, connections and controls on chairs, compressors and suction plant during servicing, and reports damage
- Isolates equipment safely before work and confirms it operates correctly afterwards
- Records the electrical supply requirements of new equipment at installation, so the practice can confirm the supply is suitable
Verified specialist competence, or a specialist partner
- Fixed installation work and periodic inspection and testing: a suitably qualified and registered electrician, working to BS 7671; this may be arranged separately through Electrigent Ltd, subject to confirmation
- In-service electrical safety testing of medical electrical equipment to the applicable standard: a person competent in that standard, with the right test equipment
- Portable appliance testing of general office and domestic equipment: a competent person under the practice's own arrangements
Outside our scope
- Portable appliance testing programmes for general practice equipment
- Electrical installation condition reports or certification of the fixed installation as part of a dental engineering visit
- Certifying that the practice complies with the Electricity at Work Regulations
Questions
Questions on this topic
Does our dental chair need PAT testing?
The regulations require that equipment is maintained so as to prevent danger; they do not name a particular test. A dental chair is normally fixed medical electrical equipment, and the manufacturer's instructions and the relevant standard for medical electrical equipment describe the appropriate in-service checks. A generic appliance test may not be suitable. Follow the manufacturer's guidance and record what is done.
Can Dynamo Dental install a new circuit for a compressor?
Not as part of a dental engineering visit. We record the supply the equipment needs; installation work is a separate discipline and may be arranged separately through Electrigent Ltd, subject to confirmation.
Other topics
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, Regulation 15 (Premises and equipment)CQC Regulation 15: premises and equipment
- Health and Social Care Act 2008; Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014Health and Social Care Act 2008: regulated activity and equipment
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2306)PUWER 1998: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
- Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/128)PSSR 2000: Pressure Systems Safety Regulations and dental compressors
- Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000, Regulations 8 and 9 (written scheme of examination; examination in accordance with the written scheme)Written Schemes of Examination for dental compressors
- Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices (NHS England, 2013 edition)HTM 01-05: decontamination equipment and maintenance
Not sure what records you should have?
The Practice Engineering Survey establishes what exists and what is missing, without claiming to be an audit.
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