So, you employ less than 5 people? You may think that this means that you don’t need an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report). You would be wrong. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states that employers are responsible for the health and safety of their employees in the workplace, and The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require precautions to be taken against the risk of death or personal injury from electricity used as part of the work activity. The Government document Health and Safety Made Simple states when talking about Health and Safety Policy and Risk Assessment; “If you have fewer than five employees you don’t have to write anything down.”
Not having to have a written Health and Safety policy doesn’t mean that you don’t have a duty of care towards your employees. Indeed, it is probably wise to have something written down nonetheless purely to show that are ensuring a level of care. This may be why there is some confusion over people believing that they don’t need an EICR if they have less than 5 employees.
The law doesn’t state that you need an EICR, after all, but your EICR means that you can show that you have fulfilled your duty of care towards your employees. The EICR provides you with a framework to show ongoing evidence of your care. This ongoing evidence is needed if you have 1000 employees, or if you have four. Your electrical installations still need to be a satisfactory standard to make sure that you are not endangering the lives of your employees.
There are often industry myths, and workplace stories, which can be a long way from the truth. If you ever unclear of your legal obligations, it is always better to check with a professional rather than to rely upon hearsay or opinion. If something were to happen, wouldn’t you like to know that you had taken every step to prevent it?
If you are unsure of your legal requirements why not contact Black Pear Electrical today. Our team will help to answer your questions with professionalism, providing you with the information that you need to do the right thing for your business. At Black Pear Electrical we understand that all businesses are different, and we will always work with you to ensure that we can help you in a way that suits you and your business. For an EICR delivered by a competent professional contact Black Pear Electrical on 01905 700490
