Electrical supplies, installations and equipment

General Requirements

All electrical installations and equipment will comply with the general requirements of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and relevant certificates will be provided for inspection prior to the event.

All electrical equipment must carry an electrical test certificate (Portable Appliance Testing) in accordance with BS7671:1992.

The safety standard of the installation must be at least that of current I.E.E. Wiring Regulations.

The whole installation, including wiring, switchgear and generators must be installed in a safe manner and by suitably qualified and competent electricians and confirm to BS 7909: 1998 Code of Practice for temporary distributions systems for an electrical supply for entertainment lighting, technical services and related purposes.

At least one qualified electrician should remain onsite during the event to ensure continuous levels of operational safety.

All electrical equipment will be installed, so far as is reasonably practicable, so that interference by the public or unauthorised employees cannot gain access.

Equipment should either be double insulated or correctly fitted with a protective (safety) earth. All equipment exposed to weather will be suitably protected. All electrical installations will be fitted with Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers (R.C.D.) and Earth Spikes conforming to BS 7430: 1991 Code of Practice for earthing.

CO2 extinguishers should be located at each installation to deal with electrical fires.

Cabling

Supply cables must be of the correct rating for the maximum possible load with no damage to the insulation and fitted with the correct type of connectors for external use.

Cables will be routed, placed with a cable protection system or buried so that they will not cause a tripping hazard or be crushed by vehicular traffic. Buried cables must be of one continuous length, cable connections must not be buried.

Armoured cabling will be installed for hazardous voltages e.g. those which could cause electric shock if damaged, protecting against contact with sharp edges or crushing by heavy loads.

Generators

All portable generators for electrical power supplies will be fuelled by Diesel, have low noise emissions and be fitted with Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers and earth spikes conforming to BS 7430 Code of Practice for earthing.

Generators must be sited so as to reduce the possibility of noise nuisance and be silenced generator sets. Generators should also be sited to ensure that exhaust fumes are dissipated into the atmosphere away from populated venue areas and guarded from unauthorised persons. Dry Powder Extinguisher(s) must be located by each generator.

The fuelling and/or refuelling of generators must only be carried out by authorised personnel wearing the correct personal protective equipment and following the manufacturer's instructions. Suitable materials and equipment must be kept at hand to deal with any possible fuel spillages.

Diesel fuel must be stored in no more than two metal containers with a maximum capacity of 10 litre or two plastic containers of a maximum 5 litres capacity. These containers should be designed and approved for the purpose, correctly labelled as to their contents and must be fitted with a screw-cap or closure to prevent leakage of liquid or vapour.

Fuel storage area should be well away from ignition sources and must be secure, to protect against unauthorised access or the possibility of vandalism or arson. Dry Powder Extinguishers must be located by each fuel storage area.