Live electrical working is the exception, not the rule. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 Regulation 14 sets a three-part test that every electrician must pass before energised work can be justified. This guide walks through the legal test, the precautions, the documentation, and the real scenarios where live work is legitimate — testing, fault diagnosis, commissioning — versus the many where it is not.
Free for 7 days · No charge until day 8 · Cancel anytime · Used by 1,000+ UK electricians
Written and reviewed by Andrew Moore, founder of Elec-Mate, against BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, IET Guidance Note 3 and the IET On-Site Guide.
1,000+
UK electricians
“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”
Daniel Palmer — DP Electrical
The default legal position in the UK is that electrical work shall be carried out dead. Regulation 14 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 starts from the principle that no person shall be engaged in any work activity on or near any live conductor — and it then describes the narrow circumstances in which live work may be undertaken.
Live work is only permitted where (a) it is unreasonable in all the circumstances for the conductor to be dead, AND (b) it is reasonable in all the circumstances for the person 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. All three limbs must be satisfied — failing any one means the work must be carried out dead.
The HSE memorandum of guidance on the 1989 Regulations (HSR25) makes clear that the burden is on the duty holder and the worker to demonstrate that each of the three conditions is met. A written method statement is the normal way of recording that demonstration. Without it, the assumption is that live work was not justified.
Read in conjunction with our safe isolation method statement, this guide covers the opposite end of the workflow: the procedure for the limited tasks where energisation cannot be avoided.
Every key change in the 2026 amendment on one page. AFDDs, TN-C-S protection, new schedule columns, model forms. Pinned on your van dash.
The three-part test is easy to recite and hard to apply. The two lists below reflect the working interpretation used by HSE inspectors, NICEIC / NAPIT auditors and competent-person assessors when reviewing RAMS in the field.
Limb (c) of Regulation 14 — "suitable precautions are taken" — is the practical heart of the method statement. The list below is the minimum baseline accepted by HSE inspectors and competent-person scheme auditors for routine LV live work.
HSE Guidance Note GS38 (Electrical test equipment for use by electricians) is the document an inspector will reference if they pick up your meter. Probes with exposed tips longer than 4 mm, leads without inline fuses, or meters without a CAT III rating for a distribution board environment are all GS38 failures and would invalidate a "suitable precautions" claim under Regulation 14.
For domestic and small commercial LV final-circuit work, the PPE baseline is GS38 probes, insulating mat, eye protection and BS EN 60900 tools. Once you move upstream into distribution boards, sub-mains, large commercial switchgear or any installation with significant prospective fault current, an arc-flash assessment is part of the suitable precautions limb of Regulation 14.
A "small" job at a domestic intake position can sit on a service fuse with thousands of amps of prospective fault current. Don't assume domestic means low energy — check the PFC measurement on the most recent EICR or take a fresh reading before deciding the PPE level.
Site-specific risk assessments and method statements, written to CDM 2015 expectations and ready to send. From £6.99/mo.
Try the safety tools free
HSE guidance is consistent: live working should not normally be carried out alone. The accompanying person is not a passenger — they have a defined role in the method statement.
A method statement that does not specifically authorise live work cannot be relied on to satisfy EAWR Regulation 14. The document must name the energised task and carry the appropriate signatures before the work begins.
If your RAMS template does not name "live working" explicitly and demonstrate the Regulation 14 three-part test, it is not fit for energised work. The Elec-Mate RAMS Generator builds the live-work section into method statements automatically, with the justification, precautions and sign-off chain in the right places.
The following scenarios are routinely encountered in UK electrical work. Each is legitimate live work where the three-part test is satisfied — but each still requires a written method statement and the full precaution set.
A step-by-step procedure aligned with EAWR 1989 Regulation 14 and HSE guidance HSR25 / GS38.
Document, in writing, why it is unreasonable for the conductor to be dead, why it is reasonable to do the work live, and what suitable precautions will be taken. If you cannot answer all three honestly, the work is dead work — stop and plan an isolation instead.
The competent-person designation must specifically cover live working — not just generic electrical competence. Check qualifications, recent experience, and any scheme-body restrictions on live tasks.
List the meter, probes, leads, insulated tools and insulating mat by make, model and calibration date. Reject any item with damaged insulation, expired calibration or a CAT rating below the working environment.
Calculate or look up the incident energy at the working position. Select arc-rated clothing, face shield and gloves matched to the energy level — and to the system voltage where insulating gloves are required.
Walk through the isolation point, the emergency contact procedure, the rescue method (never touch a person in contact with live parts) and the location of the nearest AED. Record the briefing on the method statement.
Operator, supervisor / duty holder and the responsible person on site all sign and date the method statement. Cross-reference any permit-to-work or LOTO procedure. Only then does the live task start.
Verified reviews from the UK App Store.
Elec-Mate is my go to app for business and electrical work. It's feature rich without feeling cluttered. A true all in one app for quotes, certs, calculations, RAMS, EICRs, and more. I use it every day without fail, and it makes my workflow much smoother since I'm not jumping between apps anymore. The price-to-feature ratio is excellent. Any issues I've had, the developer responds within the hour and usually fixes them the same day. 100% recommend.
I've used the app and the web based version for a while now and it's well worth the investment. If you're an apprentice or experienced Spark give it a go, you won't be disappointed.
I've been using Elec-Mate for a while now, and honestly, it's one of the best apps I've ever downloaded. Every aspect of it feels thoughtfully designed, from the clean and intuitive interface to the powerful features that make everything so easy to manage. It's clear that a lot of care and attention went into building this app, and it shows in every detail.
Real feedback from real sparks
“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”
Daniel Palmer
Sole Trader · DP Electrical
“I've won two contracts this month because I could turn quotes around same-day with the AI cost engineer.”
Nathan Perry
Electrician · NP Electrical Services
“The study centre got me through my AM2. Mock exams and flashcards are brilliant.”
Jake Pizey
3rd Year Apprentice · Apprentice
Elec-Mate's RAMS Generator builds the EAWR Regulation 14 three-part test, GS38 instrument list, BS EN 60900 tool register, arc-flash PPE, lone-working assessment and sign-off chain into a single PDF — ready for site. 7-day free trial, cancel anytime.
“Replaced three separate apps with Elec-Mate. Certs, quotes, and scheduling all in one place.”
Daniel Palmer, DP Electrical
From £6.99/mo after trial — less than a coffee a week
We use cookies to improve the app and measure what works. Cookie Policy