Hospitality venues are being urged to check the electrical safety of their outdoor equipment, after a young boy lost his life when he was electrocuted in a pub garden.
Danielle Jones, aged 34 from Romford, is calling on all pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues to ensure that their outdoor electrical installations and equipment are safe this summer.
Her son, Harvey Tyrrell, was just 7 years old when he tragically lost his life after being electrocuted in a pub beer garden in September 2018.
Harvey touched unsafe lighting in the garden of a pub in Essex and the resulting electric shock he suffered killed him. The owner of the pub has since been jailed for 9 years for manslaughter after he admitted to stealing electricity from an unmetered supply.
Despite this, Danielle says that she is “still hearing of other incidents involving unsafe electrics in pubs […].”
Pubs must prioritise electrical safety this summer
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is working with the hospitality sector as well as local authority enforcement officers to increase industry awareness of electrical safety standards. They advise that any concerns about electrical safety should be directed to the relevant local authority.
Britain’s health and safety watchdog said that hospitality venues need to ensure they are appointing a competent person to carry out electrical installation work and that they are only using lights and heaters specifically designed for outdoor use. Equipment must also be regularly checked for damage or water ingress.
Companies are required to ensure that fixed installation and electrical appliances are installed and maintained by a competent electrician and in accordance with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
Danielle said:
“People who run pubs and other hospitality venues should regularly check their electrics, especially as pub beer gardens are getting busier at this time of the year.
“I’m still hearing of other incidents involving unsafe electrics in pubs and this needs to stop – I don’t want any other family to go through what happened to us.
“Harvey was such a beautiful little soul, a cheeky chappie and one of a kind and what sadly happened to him could have been prevented.”
Meanwhile, the HSE’s Head of Local Authority and Safety Unit, said that during the “busy summer period” hospitality venues which provide outdoor spaces “need to make sure electrical equipment is in good condition, safe to use and regularly checked.”
Key guidance for outdoor electrical safety
The HSE provides important information, advice and guidance about electrical safety on their website.
They advise anyone responsible for outdoor spaces to consider the following before installing outdoor electrical equipment:
- Could extra low voltage or solar equipment be used to provide a safer installation?
- Is the equipment suitable for outdoor use?
- Is the equipment damaged at all?
- Is any existing equipment in good condition and compatible with the equipment to be installed?
- Can it accommodate the electrical load so that circuits and sockets are not overloaded?
- Is it connected to a socket protected by a suitable RCD?
- Are all sockets in a good condition and suitable for use outside, if appropriate, and in a location where they won’t be accessed or damaged by customers?
- Has the equipment been fully removed from its packaging before use?
You should also ensure that the electrical supply is switched off before connecting or installing equipment. During installation and when using outdoor electrical equipment, the HSE has these safety tips:
- Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions ensure you retain them for future reference
- Ensure equipment is installed in locations where it will not be damaged and is away from flammable materials and decorations
- Check equipment for damage frequently, and replace failed lamps as appropriate
- Always switch off before replacing lamps and use the correct replacement lamp
- Keep equipment packaging for future storage
- When storing equipment, ensure that it is not in damp or excessively hot conditions
Health and safety training for hospitality
First Response Training (FRT) is one of the UK’s largest and leading national training providers.
They deliver a wide and diverse range of training for businesses and organisations across all industry sectors and throughout the UK. Their course range includes training in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, mental health, food safety, health and social care and more.
Their health and safety training is mapped to UK standards and legislation and follows HSE guidelines. They have a dedicated portfolio of training for the hospitality sector and can offer courses in Safety Aware for Hotel Staff, Health and Safety, Managing Health and Safety, Risk Assessment, Accident and Incident Investigation, and many more.
A trainer from FRT explains:
“It is imperative that hospitality venues take all aspects of health and safety incredibly seriously. They are responsible not just for the health, safety and welfare of their employees but also their customers and members of the general public.
“During nice summer weather, it’s great to be able to enjoy time outdoors with friends and family at our favourite hospitality venues, and equipment such as outdoor lighting, heaters and speakers can help add to the experience; but all those responsible for outdoor spaces must ensure they are strictly following safety guidelines to avoid tragic and preventable incidents.”
For more information on any of the training courses that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or e-mail info@firstresponsetraining.com.