Rank: New forum user 
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Purely hypothetical of course!
Carrying out H&S audit of sheltered housing scheme, investigate small electrical intake cupboards there is no rubber matting in situ. Make arrangements for rubber matting to be put down but a higher entity says that electricians should be bringing their own rubber matting so we don't need to provide.
I believe we would be liable for injury if electrician turns up 'out of hours', and doesn't bring the rubber mat with him, gets electrocuted.
I'm concerned about:
Cost of providing rubber matting is nominal so meets cost/risk viewpoint
Contractor RAMS do not state anywhere they are providing their own rubber matting
I've searched the Electricity at Work regs as well as other HSE documentation and cannot find anything written to say we have to provide the matting only if the electrical switch room meets certain dimensions which our do not.
Any advice please?
Thanks :-)
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Why are you providing matting? Why are you forcing your contractors to work live on the equipment?
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 1 user thanked paul.skyrme for this useful post.
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Rank: New forum user
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Paul.skyrme - we are not working 'live'. Some of the sheltered housing schemes I have visited have rubber matting in them and some don't.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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So nothing to do with the whims of different people at different times resulting in presence or absence?
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Rank: Super forum user
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So nothing to do with the whims of different people at different times resulting in presence or absence?
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Rank: Super forum user
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I am not an electricity expert by any means (unlike Paul) but when I saw this I thought surely matting is only relevant if you are thinking about live working. Live working should only be done in exceptional circumstances therefore the matting is irrelevant. Once you have de-energised the circuit there is no risk of electrocution. Or am I missing something?
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1 user thanked A Kurdziel for this useful post.
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Rank: New forum user
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Hi
I was confused which I posted the question. I asked NICEIC for their guidance in this and they advised me its all about the risk assessment (not too helpful when I am not an electrician either).
Are you all advising that the need for rubber matting is only applicable in the event of 'live working'?
Thanks muchly
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: Bibbin  Hi
I was confused which I posted the question. I asked NICEIC for their guidance in this and they advised me its all about the risk assessment (not too helpful when I am not an electrician either).
Are you all advising that the need for rubber matting is only applicable in the event of 'live working'?
Thanks muchly
Why ask the NICEIC? However, yes it is down to risk assessment, rubber matting is not even "essential" for live working. If you fit matting then it is down to you to ensure that it is suitable and sufficient for the requirements and is adequately maintained. If your contractors are working live, then it is down to their live working RAMS to decide the control measures. However, there are few reasons that they should need to work live.
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Rank: Super forum user
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If you do decide to get rubber matting, just make sure it's not made from recycled rubber. Think about the main source of recycled rubber and what could be in it!
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Rank: Super forum user
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Not going to make any difference if the contact route is other than via hand-feet....
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