06 October 2017 | Fresh Workspace Ltd

Harnessing the power of electricity in the design and fit out of offices

We are now completely dependent on the reliable and uninterrupted provision of electricity to such an extent that the economy would falter very quickly if there was any significant disruption in its supply. This is particularly true when it comes to workplace design, fit-out and management.

Inevitably this need for power brings with it some other challenges, not least in terms of health and safety. The problem is compounded by the fact that when things go wrong with electricity, they do so in a big and sometimes fatal way.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, each year there are around 1,000 reported accidents involving electricity and around 25 deaths according to figures released at the end of 2013. Many more are thought to go unreported because people are still likely to put minor shocks down as ‘just one of those things’.

However, people are far more likely to be killed or hurt when they are involved in an electric incident than in most other types of workplace accident. And yet all too often, the issue of electrical safety seems to be taken lightly, sometimes by those people who work with it for a living. It’s telling that one of the FAQs on the HSE website in this regard is ‘Everyone gets a ‘belt’ from electricity every now and then, don’t they?’ Well maybe, but they shouldn’t and they certainly shouldn’t adopt such a laissez-faire attitude to the subject. Getting a belt from electricity is no more an occupational hazard than a fall from a height and in most cases it is entirely avoidable.

Inevitably, the source of incidents is extremely varied. However, one area that is particularly overlooked is the wiring and servicing of workstations. This is surprising in some ways given that it is well legislated for by, amongst other things, BS6396. Yet, we’ve all seen the way in which people treat the servicing of their workstations in the same way they treat electrical appliances in their homes, with tangled bundles of wires lurking under desks, often loosely positioned and providing a huge trip hazard. When there is insufficient provision of outlets, the result is almost inevitably adaptors and extension leads which may or may not be the best solution. We’ve seen the occasional coffee maker, kettle or even toaster balanced precariously close to the back edge of a desk or return unit. And we’ve seen cable management channels poorly installed or left on the floor surrounded by the wires they should be channelling.

The BS6396 standard in particular has suffered a degree of underexposure, and many employers remain unaware that should an incident occur in the workplace which requires investigation they risk prosecution if their cable management does not comply with legislation. Facilities managers are often responsible, if not accountable for ensuring their company’s workstations are safe for the employees using them. BS6396 is a standard relating to the installation of electrical systems as a whole and is not a specific electrical accessory standard. It does not apply to fixed installations. However, while specific products may comply with the relevant clauses of the full standard, full compliance with the standard itself requires correct installation of the system and proper construction of the furniture. So it ain’t just what you do, it’s the way that you do it.

It's right that we should consider health and safety but let’s not forget the aesthetical consideration as well. Whilst architects sometimes make it hard to use a building’s services effectively, visible and messy wires are unsightly. An interesting and pertinent by-product of ensuring that the appropriate cable management is in place is that the workplace looks tidier and is easier to manage.

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