UK: Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
Great Britain's general duty to keep electrical systems safe, maintain them, work dead unless live working is justified, and use competent people.
- 3requirementsin our own words
- 1edition S.I. 1989 No. 635
- 1places where it is a duty of 30 assessed
- 18 Oct 2026last checkedat the sources below
Where it applies
It is a duty in 1 of 30 places. The outcome holds under the conditions shown and says nothing about any one site.
| Where | Outcome | Basis | Conditions | Authority and route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Applies | Required by law In force | None stated National electrical safety rule for workplaces in this country. | Health and Safety Executive (HSE) |
| Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia | Does not apply | Required by law In force | None stated National instrument of GB; this country has its own electrical safety rules (not yet in this dataset unless listed). | Not stated |
What it asks for
3 requirements, each in our own words with the evidence an assessor would expect and who on a site usually owns it. Read the clause itself on the scheme owner's page.
| Requirement | Evidence expected | Owner | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use competent persons for electrical work. | Competence records Record, checked by document review | EHS | Each certification cycle Authorisation, one site |
| Keep systems safe by construction and maintenance so far as reasonably practicable. | Inspection and test records Test report, checked by document review | M&E lead | Each certification cycle Inspection, one site |
| Work dead unless there are justified reasons. | Permits to work Record, checked by document review | EHS | On each change Governance, one site |
Editions
Which text is in force, from when, and which one it replaced.
| Edition | Status | Published | In effect | Replaces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.I. 1989 No. 635 | Current | 1989 | Not stated | None named |
About the programme
- Assessed by
- The duty holder
- Scope
- electrical system and work activity
- Validity
- Continuous duty.
- Accreditation route
- none
- Regulator
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
- Official body
- UK Parliament (Statutory Instrument 1989/635); HSE guidance
- Who asks for it
- Regulator, Insurer
- Where it is used
- GB (England, Wales, Scotland)
Sources
Official bodies behind this page, each with the date we last read it.
- legislation.gov.ukread 18 Oct 2026
Not legal advice. Confirm each duty against the text itself.