Introduction to Fire Safety Management

Equipment/application 
Voltage 
User check 
Formal visual
Combined

 
inspection 
inspection 

 
 
and 
test
Battery-operated power tools and torches 
Less than 25 volts 
No 
No 
No
25 V portable hand lamps (confi ned or
25 volt secondary 
No 
No 
No
damp situations) 
winding from transformer
50 V portable hand lamps 
Secondary winding
No 
No 
Yearly
centre tapped to 
earth (25 volt) 
110 V portable and handheld tools,
Secondary winding 
Weekly 
Monthly 
Before fi rst use
extension leads, site lighting, movable
centre tapped to 
on site and then
wiring systems and associated switchgear 
earth (55 volt) 
3 monthly
230 V portable and handheld tools,
230 volt mains supply 
Daily/every shift 
Weekly 
Before fi rst use
extension leads and portable fl oodlighting 
through 30 mA RCD 
on site and then
monthly
230 V equipment such as lifts, hoists and
230 volt supply fuses 
Weekly
Monthly 
Before fi rst use
fi xed fl oodlighting
or MCBs 
on site and then 
3 
monthly
RCDs Fixed 
Daily/every shift 
Weekly 
*Before fi rst use 
on site and then 
3 
monthly
Equipment in site offi ces 
230 volt offi ce
Monthly 
6 monthly 
Before fi rst use
equipment 
on site and then 
yearly
Table 8.4
Electrical safety on construction sites

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Introduction to Fire Safety Management
164
of course and not for high risk operations such as hot 
works.
Hot work permits should normally include as a 
minimum:
➤
The nature and location of the hot work to be 
undertaken
➤
The proposed start time and duration of the hot work
➤
The limitation of time for which the permit is valid
➤
The person in direct control of the hot works
➤
The authorised signing off (completion and checks) 
of the works.
Separate permit forms may be required for different 
tasks such as hot work and entry into confi ned spaces 
and therefore different information and records are likely 
to be required.
The hot work permit used as part of the safe system 
of work will also provide details on checks that will 
need to be made prior to the commencement of the 
work such as the area being cleared of loose combus-
tible material, if work is to take place on one side of a 
wall or partition the opposite side must be examined for 
combustible material, the need to provide fi re resistant 
coverings where work is being undertaken adjacent to 
immovable wooden structures. In addition the checklist 
may well include the isolation of existing detection 
systems and the requirement for the provision of fi re 
fi ghting equipment and competent persons to operate it.
A key element that will also be included in the hot 
work permit will be the sign-off following an examin-
ation of the area (at least one hour after cessation of hot 
works) to ensure that there are no fi re risks remaining.
A sample of a hot work permit can be found in the 
Appendix 8.1, together with a sample hot work checklist 
at Appendix 8.2.
The issues relating to highly fl ammable liquids and 
LPG have been covered at length in preceding sections 
of this chapter; however, quite specifi c to construction/
maintenance operations is the use of items such as tar 
boilers, which are invariably powered by gas cylinders.
Tar boilers (and similar equipment) should remain 
at ground level remote from the building where reason-
ably practicable. However, where the risk assessment