The Electricity at Work Regulations (EWR 1989) are mandatory regulations that apply to all work involving electricity. The regulations aim to prevent danger and injury from electrical work through requirements regarding the construction, maintenance, and operation of electrical systems. The regulations establish duties for employers and employees and define key terms. Non-compliance can be considered a criminal offense.

1. 1
What are the
Electricity At Work
Regulations
(EWR)?
1

2. Outcomes from this session
At the end of this session you should be able to...
2
Describe what the EWR 1989
regulations are.
State why the application of the
EWR 1989 is essential.

3. Electricity At Work Regulations
(EWR 1989)
3
EWR 1989 first 16 distinct regulations apply
to absolutely everyone who is at work.
It is divided into two parts...
 Part 1 This is a general introduction
 Part 2 This is a detailed account of
each regulation

4. EWR 1989 Regulation 1
Defines when the regulations came into force
1st April 1990
Purpose of the Regulations
Prevent danger (Risk of Injury)
Prevent Injury (where Danger Exists)
Not to Give Rise to Danger
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5. EWR 1989 Regulation 1
 Revoke, replace & extend old Electricity
at Work Regulations
 Over & above Health & Safety at Work
Act 1974
 Duty of Employer & Employees to comply
(by law)
 Failure to comply can be seen as
criminal act.
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6. EWR 1989 Regulation 2
DEFINITIONS
Defines terms used throughout the regulations
 CIRCUIT CONDUCTOR
“...means any conductor in a system which is
intended to carry electric current in normal
conditions, or to be energised in normal
conditions, and includes a combined neutral and
earth conductor, but does not include a conductor
provided solely to perform a protective function
by connection to earth or other reference point...”
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7. CONDUCTOR
“...means a conductor of electrical energy...”
DANGER
“...means risk of injury...”
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
“...includes anything used, intended to be used or
installed for use, to generate, provide, transmit,
transform, rectify, convert, conduct, distribute,
control, store, measure or use electrical energy...”
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EWR 1989 Regulation 2
DEFINITIONS

8. INJURY
“...means death or personal injury from electric
shock, electric burn, electrical explosion or arcing,
or from fire or explosion initiated by electrical
energy, where any such death or injury is
associated with the generation, provision,
transmission, transformation, rectification,
conversion, conduction, distribution, control,
storage, measurement or use of electrical
energy...”
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EWR 1989 Regulation 2
DEFINITIONS

9. 9
The diagram opposite
shows the elements that
could form all or part of
a system as defined in
the regulations.
SYSTEM
Everything installed or
connected, for the
purpose of carrying
electric current in normal
conditions, or to be
energised in normal
conditions, beyond the
main intake point
EWR 1989 Regulation 2
DEFINITIONS

10. EWR 1989 Regulation 3
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This regulation gives a CLEAR STATEMENT OF WHO
EWR89 APPLIES TO.
REGULATION 3 – PERSONS TO WHOM DUTIES ARE
IMPOSED BY THESE REGULATIONS
STATUS – ABSOLUTE
Duty of every employer, self employed person or
employee to ensure that compliance to the Regulations is
absolute, except where the duty is subject to the
qualifying term “Reasonably Practicable”. The extent to
which these duties are imposed on an individual is
determined by the degree of “control” the individual may
have. These duties are enforceable by law and failure to
comply could provide for an offence that could be seen
as a criminal act.

11. EWR 1989 Regulation 3
Definition of application
ABSOLUTE
Regardless of any cost or other consideration.
Reasonably Practicable
Access....the magnitude of the risks of the
particular work activity or environment and
....the costs in terms of physical difficulty, time
trouble, and expense which would be involved in
taking steps to eliminate or minimise those risks.
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12. EWR 1989 Regulation 4
4 (1) CONSTRUCTION OF SYSTEMS
Status - Reasonably Practicable
All systems shall be at all times of such construction as to
prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger.
4 (2) MAINTENANCE OF SYSTEMS
(Inspection & Testing Of Systems)
Status – Reasonably Practicable
As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall
be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably
practicable, such danger.
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This regulation is split into four parts and covers
SYSTEMS, work activity and protective equipment.

13. 4 (3) WORK ACTIVITY
Status – Reasonably Practicable
Every work activity, including operation, use and
maintenance of a system and work near a system, shall be
carried out in such a manner as not to give rise, so far as is
reasonably practicable, to danger.
4 (4) PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
Status - ABSOLUTE
Any equipment provided under these Regulations for the
purpose of protecting persons at work on or near electrical
equipment shall be suitable for the use for which it is
provided, be maintained in a condition suitable for that use,
and properly used.
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EWR 1989 Regulation 4
This regulation is split into four parts and covers systems,
WORK ACTIVITY and PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

14. EWR 1989 Regulation 5
STRENGTH & CAPABILITY
OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
Status – ABSOLUTE
 No electrical equipment shall be put into use
where its strength and capability may be
exceeded in such a way as may give rise to
danger.
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This regulation looks at the capability of the electrical
equipment (not a system) that is to be put into service.
Consideration needs to be taken into account of the
possibility of the equipment being used under abnormal
conditions.

15. EWR 1989 Regulation 6
ADVERSE OR HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS
Status – Reasonably Practicable
Electrical equipment which may reasonably
foreseeable be exposed to:
Mechanical damage.
The effects of the weather, natural hazards,
temperature/pressure.
The effects of wet, dirty, dusty or corrosive
conditions
Any flammable or explosive substance,
protected as to prevent, so far as is
reasonably practicable, danger arising from
such exposure. 15

16. EWR 1989 Regulation 7
INSULATION, PROTECTION
& PLACING OF CONDUCTORS
Status – Reasonably Practicable
 “All conductors in a system which may give rise
to danger shall either...
 “....be suitably covered with insulating material
and as necessary protected so as to prevent, so
far as is reasonably practicable, danger...”
or
 “....have such precautions taken in respect of
them (including, where appropriate, their being
suitably placed) as will prevent, so far as is
reasonably practicable, danger.”
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17. EWR 1989 Regulation 8
EARTHING OR OTHER SUITABLE PRECAUTIONS
Status – ABSOLUTE
“Precaution shall be taken, either by earthing or by
other suitable means, to prevent danger arising when
any conductor (other than a circuit conductor) which
may reasonably foreseeable become charged as a
result of either the use of a system, or a fault in a
system, becomes so charged and for the purposes of
ensuring compliance with this regulation, a conductor
shall be regarded as earthed when it is connected to
the general mass of earth by conductors of
sufficient strength and current-carrying capability
to discharge electrical energy to earth.”
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18. EWR 1989 Regulation 8 Explained
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This regulation deals with the NEED TO EARTH a
system or to provide other types of protection
 When electricians connect a system to earth
they are not guaranteeing that no one will ever
get an electric shock.
 Conductors must be of the right size and
positioned in the right way. Whatever
protection is used it must be fit for its purpose.

19. EWR 1989 Regulation 9
INTEGRITY OF REFERENCED CONDUCTORS
Status – ABSOLUTE
“If a circuit conductor is connected to earth or to
any other reference point, nothing which might
reasonably be expected to give rise to danger by
breaking the electrical continuity or introducing
high impedance shall be placed in that conductor
unless suitable precautions are taken to prevent
that danger.”
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20. EWR 1989 Regulation 9 Explained
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This regulation deals with the need to MAINTAIN
THE INTEGRITY of any Referenced Conductor.
Electricians are not permitted to connect anything
in a referenced conductor that would cause it to
be broken (open-circuited).

21. EWR 1989 Regulation 10
CONNECTIONS
Status – ABSOLUTE
 Where necessary to prevent danger,
every joint and connection in a system
shall be mechanically and electrically
suitable for use.
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22. EWR 1989 Regulation 10 Explained
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This regulation considers the need to MAINTAIN
THE INTEGRITY of the connection of any
Conductors.

23. EWR 1989 Regulation 11
MEANS OF PROTECTION FROM EXCESS
OF CURRENT
Status – ABSOLUTE
Efficient means suitably located shall be
provided for protecting from excess of
current every part of a system as may be
necessary to prevent danger.
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24. EWR 1989 Regulation 12
Status – ABSOLUTE
1. “Subject to paragraph (3) where necessary to
prevent danger, suitable means (including where
appropriate, methods of identifying circuits) shall
be available for-
(a) Cutting off the supply of electrical energy to
any electrical equipment
(b) The isolation of any electrical equipment”
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MEANS OF CUTTING OFF THE SUPPLY AND
FOR ISOLATION
This regulation is split into three parts

25. EWR 1989 Regulation 12
Status – ABSOLUTE
2. “In paragraph (1) “isolation” means the
disconnection and separation of the electrical
equipment from every source of electrical energy
in such a way that this disconnection and
separation is secure.”
3. “Paragraph (1) shall not apply to electrical
equipment which is itself a source of electrical
energy but, in such a case as is necessary,
precautions shall be taken to prevent, so far as is
reasonably practicable, danger.”
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MEANS OF CUTTING OFF THE SUPPLY AND
FOR ISOLATION
This regulation is split into three parts

26. EWR 1989 Regulation 13
PRECAUTIONS FOR WORK ON EQUIPMENT
MADE DEAD
Status – ABSOLUTE
 “Adequate precautions shall be taken to prevent
electrical equipment, which has been made dead
in order to prevent danger while work is carried
out on or near that equipment, from becoming
electrically charged during that work if danger
may thereby arise.”
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27. EWR 1989 Regulation 14
WORK ON OR NEAR LIVE CONDUCTORS
Status – ABSOLUTE
 “No person shall be engaged in any work on or so
near any live conductor (other than one suitably
covered with insulating material so as to prevent
danger) that danger may arise unless -
(a) it is unreasonable in all the circumstances for
it to be dead; and
(b) it is reasonable in all the circumstances for
him to be at work on or near it while it is live; and
(c) suitable precautions (including where necessary
the provision of suitable protective equipment) are
taken to prevent injury.”
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28. EWR 1989 Regulation 15
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WORKING SPACE, ACCESS & LIGHTING
Status – ABSOLUTE
 For the purpose of enabling Injury to be prevented,
adequate working space, adequate means of access, and
adequate lighting shall be provided at all electrical
equipment on which or near which work is being done in
circumstances which may give rise to danger.
Switch room Luminaire

29. EWR 1989 Regulation 16
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PERSONS TO BE COMPETENT
Status – ABSOLUTE
 “No person shall be engaged in any work
activity where technical knowledge or
experience is necessary to prevent danger
or, where appropriate, Injury, unless he
possesses such knowledge or experience, or
is under such degree of supervision as may
be appropriate having regard to the nature
of the work”

30. Electricity At Work
Regulations
(EWR 1989) Summary
EWR 1989 is Mandatory
Either
Absolute or
Reasonably practicable30