EGN12 - Safety Evaluation of Locally Purchased Electrical Equipment

Introduction
 
This Electrical Guidance Note (EGN) is one of a series under the framework document EGN 1 "Management of Electrical Safety at the BBC". The purpose of EGN 12 is to set safety standards and ensure that those who purchase electrical equipment on behalf of the BBC are aware of their responsibilities under BBC Requirements, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and purchase equipment that is safe.

 

It is intended to cover any complete powered electronic/electrical equipment, not components or passive devices such as audio splitters, but includes ready made up mains leads and items such as mains distribution blocks. The document will apply to maintenance engineers, technicians, project engineers, broadcast engineers and those involved in purchasing items used in production or offices, in fact in all areas of the BBC, whatever Division.

 

It is the policy of the BBC that all electrical equipment must undergo and pass a formal visual inspection and test before it enters service. The initial assessment of the equipment may also give guidance on the frequency of the periodic testing to be carried out in the future.

 

The equipment covered by this Guidance Note will vary widely and will be found as:

 

In fact the guidance note covers ALL locally purchased electrical equipment. It does not cover existing equipment but any such equipment should have already been subjected to similar assessment and testing.

The Requirements and Guidance given here therefore apply to a very large range of equipment used in BBC undertakings. It will apply to BBC employees, and to Partners and Contractors to the BBC.

 

This EGN replaces all previous safety documentation with regard to the local purchase of electronic equipment (in particular GP 4 and CoP 13), issued by BBC Safety or by the former Engineering Management Safety Committee. It does not however, replace documents issued at Divisional or Departmental level, although such documents must neither conflict with nor set standards which are not as rigorous as those given here.

 

This document is intended both to draw attention to the requirements, which affect everyone who purchases electrical equipment, and also to give guidance to testers who must have technical knowledge appropriate to the level of testing being carried out. Fully trained engineers with electrical competence will be required for Sections 7.2 on.

 

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