Safety Alert - Use of Equipment

Posted on Wednesday 23 September 2026

If you are procuring new equipment, it should be:

• Purchased from a reliable supplier (a previous safety alert highlighted the dangers of electrical equipment from unreputable sources, which do not meet UK safety standards).
• Received appropriately within your department so that the equipment can be registered (eg on asset logs).
• Installed following the manufacturer guidance and installed in an appropriate location.
• Risk-assessed for use of the equipment, particularly if there are any potential hazards, eg heated or electrical elements, which could lead to a fire if poorly maintained.
• Used with a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) or Safe System of Work (SSoW) for the equipment, so that users can use equipment in a safe manner, and training should be provided for use of equipment.
• If applicable, notify your local technical operations managers so that they are aware and can support with the proper arrangements. 

During the lifetime of the equipment, it should be:

• Maintained appropriately as per the manufacturer guidance.
• Made available for PAT testing when this occurs in the local area.
• Disposed of at the end of its lifetime by raising a job to facilities Helpdesk on Planon.