Our energy safety recommendations for your business

We strongly advise that you follow these recommendations for the safety of your staff and premises.

Electrical safety recommendations

Keeping your employees safe

• Motivate and encourage your staff to be conscious of electrical safety
• Make them aware of your company's safety statement so they know their obligations
  
• Ensure they know where all emergency switches and isolating devices are located
  
• Provide safety training for those using electrical equipment
  
• Provide First Aid and CPR training in case of an electric shock accident
  
• Provide appropriate personal protective equipment and train them to properly use and maintain it
  

Safety procedures

• Put procedures in place to ensure the safety of your staff, your electrical installation and the equipment connected to it
• Keep an up-to-date record of your electrical installation
• Update your safety statement when new equipment is installed
• Restrict access to affected areas when carrying out electrical maintenance or installation
• Keep work locations clean and tidy, especially those where electrical equipment is being used
• Keep clear all access routes to emergency switches and distribution boards
• Keep doors and covers of distribution and fuse boards closed
• Ensure all portable electrical tools and equipment are low voltage - supplied via suitable transformers
• Identify the location and routes of underground cables, including NIE Network cables, before you start any site construction or excavation work
• Consult the proper authorities, including NIE Networks, before you begin any construction work near overhead wires, lines or cables

Your electrical installation

• Must comply with electrical safety standards
• Restrict all installation to those competent and qualified to do so
• All circuit breakers, fuses, isolators and switches must be labelled and cross-referenced to the circuits they control
• Hazardous areas - such as explosive, highly flammable and wet locations - must have special electrical fittings

Switch rooms

• Keep rooms securely closed and locked
• Restrict access to authorised personnel
• Must be adequately lit and ventilated
• Access routes must be kept free and clear at all times - never use as storage space

Distribution boards and fuse board

• Keep doors and covers to distribution and fuse boards securely closed
• Access to the boards must be kept free and clear at all times
  
  

Gas safety recommendations

Gas Safe Register

Gas safe register is the official list of gas engineers who are registered to work safely and legally on gas appliances in United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Guernsey. You can visit their website at www.gassaferegister.co.uk.

When you are carrying out work at or in your business never attempt to work on gas appliances yourself, always be sure to hire a Registered Gas Installer. 

If you are extending or modifying your premises, make sure that you always seek professional advice on ventilation requirements for any gas appliance located in that space. 

Gas boilers and appliances should be installed and fitted by a Registered Gas Installer. Please ensure that your selected installation company is qualified in the work category you require.

Never dig the ground around your business premises without checking the location of any gas pipelines and take care that you don't snag any pipelines when digging. 

If you damage your gas service pipeline in any way contact the 24 hour Northern Ireland Gas Emergency Service on 0800 002 001. 
If you cannot get through call 999 or 112 or contact the PSNI - Police Service Northern Ireland.