Health and Safety

Executive

Electrical safety for entertainers

Introduction
Who is this leaflet aimed at?

If you are an entertainer who uses electrical equipment for sound, lighting or other
effects, this leaflet is for you. Others who use electrical equipment in the course of
their work, such as wardrobe or scenic artists, may also find this guidance useful. It
sets out basic measures you can take to help control the electrical risks from use of
such equipment.

This revised version brings the content up to date and includes:

INDG247(rev2), ■■ changes to legislation and links to further guidance;

published 08/17 ■■ updates to reflect current working practices, equipment and terminology.

For other guidance on the law, see HSE’s website at www.hse.gov.uk.

Electricity can kill

Entertainers have been injured and even killed from electric shocks while performing
or practising. Make sure your next performance is not your last.

Even a very small electric current flowing through your body can kill you. For example,
50 mA (a 40 W light bulb only takes about 150 mA) can cause pain, paralysis of
chest muscles and, after a few seconds, upset the heartbeat and cause death (see
Figure 1).

The higher the current, the quicker and more dangerous are the effects.

Risks

Faulty, damaged or incorrectly used equipment can injure you. If you damage
electrical equipment, for example a cable, then bare live wires may be exposed.

Apparatus may be wrongly connected so that the outside metal parts become live.

The risk of injury is increased if you are holding an instrument or microphone, as

you may not be able to let go if it becomes electrified (live).

Even equipment which does not have a mains power supply itself can be
dangerous. For example, on some systems audio equipment such as loudspeakers
may have terminals at dangerous voltages.

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Electrical equipment that overheats can cause fire (see the advice on this under
‘Extension leads and plugs’ and ‘Ventilation’ later in the leaflet).

Precautions

Good-quality, well-maintained equipment, which is properly used, helps ensure

safety. To achieve this, maintenance, inspection, testing and repairs should only be
carried out by someone who has suitable skills, knowledge and experience.

Do not rely on other people’s equipment being in a safe condition or properly

connected. Check before you use it.

Do not connect or use incompatible items of equipment.

Current necessary to 250 mA

light a 60 W lamp is
sufficient to
electrocute five
people simultaneously

Ventricular 100 mA
fibrillation,
usually fatal

Respiration is affected, 50 mA
victim dies of
suffocation

Trip rate for 30 mA

RCD protection
– anything above
this level is
dangerous

Muscles convulse 2 mA
Perception level 1 mA

Figure 1 Relative magnitude and effect of electric current

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Residual current devices (RCDs)

Use a residual current device (RCD) on the power supply to instruments, audio
equipment and any other equipment which you or your colleagues may handle.

RCDs are relatively inexpensive and widely available from electrical goods retailers.
They should be used because they:

■■ detect very small leakages of current to earth;

■■ automatically and quickly cut off the electricity supply.

The sockets you use, particularly for audio equipment, should be protected by
RCDs suitable for personal protection. These are commonly referred to as 30 mA
devices, with a disconnection time of no greater than 40 ms. The best place for an
RCD is at the distribution board or at the socket outlet itself (see Figure 2).

You should check with the person responsible for the premises whether the
relevant circuits from the main distribution board are RCD protected. If these are
not already provided, or if the person is unsure about whether this protection is in
place, you can use an RCD-fitted plug or RCD adapter.

Main switchboard
Best place for RCD

Socket outlet Plug Extension sockets

Good place RCD if none in RCD helps but does not
for RCD fixed installation give maximum protection

To equipment

Figure 2 Where should the RCD be?

Remember

■■ It is important that you always keep your equipment in good condition.

■■ An RCD is a back-up to protect you if something goes wrong.
■■ If the RCD trips it is a sign that there is a fault that could be dangerous. Do not
ignore this warning. Have it checked and get the fault fixed by someone
competent to do so.
■■ Never bypass the RCD so that you can carry on using equipment which may
be faulty, and possibly dangerous.
■■ It is best to limit the number of items of equipment supplied from one RCD to
no more than six.

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Sound equipment
Earth connections

Lack of good earth connections and poorly maintained equipment can cause
electrical safety problems with sound equipment. Any item of equipment which is
mains-powered should either be double-insulated ◘ (see Figure 3) or correctly
fitted with a protective (safety) earth.

If you are in any doubt about the connections of equipment, consult a competent
person. Remember that an audio expert might not be an expert in electrical safety.

Single items of equipment, if properly maintained, usually present few problems.

However, if a number of items are connected together, it is possible that cable
screens (the braided metal protective layer of the cable), together with protective
earths, form loops resulting in ‘mains hum’ on the system.

If this happens, don’t remove protective earth connections. Removal of earths is

one of the common causes of entertainers receiving electric shocks, some of which
have been fatal. Good-quality sound equipment should not cause hum, although in
some cases you may need to disconnect the screen at one end (only) of
interconnecting audio cables.

When obtaining new equipment, discuss your needs with the supplier. Some
equipment has a facility for disconnecting the ‘signal’ earth from the safety earth
without affecting safety.

Where possible, powering all the sound equipment from the same socket or
distribution panel will go a long way to reducing interference.

Figure 3 Double-insulated symbol

Electricity supply

Sometimes it may be necessary to site a mixing desk at some distance from the
power amplifiers, interlinked by multi-core signal cables. Microphones etc may have
their own power supply (not phantom-powered from the mixing desk). If this is not
done, the risk of mains hum will be increased and people may be tempted to
remove the earths from the equipment.

Connections

Amplifier terminals and the wiring and connections to loudspeakers may carry
dangerous voltages. It is essential that wiring with adequate insulation is used, and
that any connectors should be safe for use at the appropriate voltage and current.

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Extension leads and plugs

Extension leads frequently cause electrical accidents, sometimes due to incorrect

connection. Take care with the connections, particularly if a different plug has to be
fitted.

The live, neutral and earth wires must be connected correctly (see Figure 4). If they
are not, the apparatus may work but be lethal, perhaps in a way which would not
be detected by a protective device such as a fuse or RCD.

If a lead or plug is damaged, replace it with a new one or repair it.

Terminal screw
Earth wire
green/yellow Cartridge fuse

Neutral wire Live wire

blue brown

Cable grip should anchor

the cable covering (sheath),
not the internal wires

Terminals tightened.
Correctly wired.
Minimum bare wire. Cable cover
(sheath) Put cover back on securely
Correct fuse in use.
One appliance per plug

Note: If the wires are not brown, blue and green/yellow seek
Cable specialist advice: a wrong connection could be very dangerous.
(lead/flex) Make sure all the connections are tight

Figure 4 Plugs: points to watch

Only fully extended extension leads are capable of carrying the full current capacity
of the cable without overheating. So fully unwind cable drums or coils to avoid the
risk of fire. Also, do not use multiple adapters plugged into wall sockets, as they
can easily get overloaded.

Ventilation

Make sure your amplifiers are properly ventilated. High-power amplifiers can get
very hot if the ventilation around them is blocked, for example by stacking other
equipment on or near them. This could cause a fire. Most amplifiers are fitted with
thermal protection devices as a precaution against fire and if this protection
operates it will shut the system down (possibly during a performance).
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Fuses

If your equipment is fitted with 13 A (square-pin) plugs, make sure that the correct
fuse is fitted. The rating plate on the equipment or the instruction book will tell you
how much electrical power the equipment needs.

Under no circumstances should you bypass the fuse or replace it by wire, silver
paper, or a nail, all of which are dangerous.

Inspection and testing

Portable electrical equipment can be damaged as it is moved from place to place.

Make sure all electrical apparatus, including extension boxes and cables, is
regularly checked by the user. As a general guide, user checks should include a
visual inspection of the equipment, preferably before using it at a new location or
when it is taken out of service for storage.

If there is damage to any electrical part or if the equipment causes an RCD to trip, it
should be taken out of service at once and replaced, or repaired by a competent
person.

Typical routine checks for portable apparatus are shown in the checklist at the back
of this leaflet.

Regular electrical tests by a competent person may also be appropriate. These will
detect the faults that cannot be seen at inspection, such as lack of continuous
earth. Electrical testing every month would be reasonable until a suitable interval
can be determined by risk assessment.

While there is no requirement to have one in law, a suitable log is useful as a

management tool for monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of a maintenance
plan. Dutyholders with large amounts of equipment may also find it useful to label
equipment to indicate when it was tested and that the test was satisfactory, ie it
has been passed as safe.

Repairs should only be made by someone who is competent to do so.

Further advice on in-service inspection and testing can be found in the HSE
publication Maintaining portable and transportable electrical equipment (HSG107)1
and an Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) code of practice.2

110–125 V American equipment

If you have American equipment designed to work only on supply voltages of 110
to 125 V, you will need a transformer to change the voltage. Incorrect use of such
equipment can be dangerous and so you should consult a competent person, such
as an electrician, about the selection and use of transformers.

Do not use a single-winding auto transformer as it can be incorrectly connected or

can fail to danger (the electricity is still connected) without any indication. The first
sign may be when you get an electric shock.

One item of equipment can be safely supplied from a safety isolating transformer
which has been manufactured to comply with the British Standard BS EN 61558
(or IEC742). Only one item of equipment should be connected to any one transformer.
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RCD or ground-fault circuit interruptor

(unless transformer provides electrical separation)
Use only a double wound transformer to BS EN 61558 and only supplying one
to connect 110–125 V equipment item of equipment

Transformer

Figure 5 110–125 Volt American equipment

If a number of items of equipment are powered from the same transformer, or if the
output of the transformer is connected to long cables (eg across the stage), then
you should use a double-wound isolating transformer, with one side of the
secondary earthed and an RCD (known in America as a ground fault circuit
interruptor) connected into the transformer secondary circuit.

Do not use RCDs designed for UK installations on the output of transformer proving
a 110 V supply as they are not generally designed to operate at such low voltages.
The operating voltage should be marked on the RCD, but if in doubt consult a
competent person.

Transformer output(s) should have suitable excess current protection (fuses or

preferably circuit breakers) and, where a protective conductor is needed, it should
be efficiently connected to an effective earth. The earthing conductor should be at
least as large as the phase and neutral conductors of the primary circuit, and may
be connected to the earthing conductor of the 230 V mains supply.

Do not use two 120 V lamps in series on a 230 V supply unless both of the light
fittings are designed for 230 V operation. It is important that you do not use
standard 230 V plugs on lower-voltage equipment. Accidentally connecting such
equipment to 230 V mains could be dangerous. If in doubt, ask a competent
person which plug you should use.

Lighting
Supports

Unless lighting is specifically intended for use at low level and protected against
inadvertent damage, rig lighting bars and equipment should be out of reach of
performers and the audience.

If cables to lights are run overhead, support them along their length (preferably by a
catenary wire or on truss) unless the cable is the type which has its own strain wire.
Take the strain off the flexible cable of suspended light fittings by supporting them
with support wires or other suitable devices (see Figure 6).

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Earth metal light fittings Support wires

or slings

Overhead wires Plugs and sockets

supported for local disconnection

Metal boom
earthed

Double-insulated fittings
marked do not need
to be earthed

Dimmer
Earth metalwork of
dimmer cabinet

Figure 6 Indoor lighting: points to watch

Circuit separation and RCDs

If possible, you should take the electrical supply for lighting from sockets which are
protected by a different RCD for that used by the audio equipment. This avoids
problems that may occur with RCDs on lighting circuits. The audio equipment
needs reliable RCD protection.

RCDs may not always be appropriate for lighting circuits. Some types of dimmer
controls have a relatively high electrical leakage which may cause unwanted tripping
when a number of units are fed from one RCD. Other dimmers produce a direct
current which can prevent some types of RCD operating correctly. Some
manufacturers offer RCD protection as an option on the supply side to the dimmer
equipment.

It might be tempting to put an RCD on the secondary (output) side of a dimmer to

give additional protection to a lighting rig, particularly where it is positioned at low
level. However, some RCDs which contain electronic components do not operate
satisfactorily at voltages much lower than 230 V so the additional protection may be
ineffective. If you are in doubt, check with the equipment manufacturer (or supplier)
and the RCD manufacturer.

Remember that RCDs should be used for circuits supplying outdoor lighting.

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Three-phase supplies

Older lighting installations were typically connected to two or three phases of the
electrical supply, using separate dimmers on different phases to avoid confusion. In
these situations, only a single phase should be connected to any one boom.

Modern proprietary equipment, such as specifically designed three-phase dimmer

units are available. Such equipment should be CE marked to show compliance with
the Essential Health and Safety Requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety)
Regulations 1994 (also known as the Low Voltage Directive).3

Connections

If you have lighting on a bar or boom, connect the individual lights to the boom by
plug and socket. For indoor lighting these can be the ‘old type’ 15 A or 5 A three
(round) pin types which are often used and quite satisfactory for lighting.

Commonly, the industrial type of blue and red connectors are now used for many
lighting circuits, often called Ceeform or Commando plugs. These are available in
ratings from 16 A up to 125 A and can be used outdoors, which the round-pin 15 A
types are not designed for.

These industrial plugs and sockets are manufactured to BS EN 60309 and provide
better protection against damp and rain. They should be used for all new
installations where possible.

The metalwork of individual lights and the bar or boom should be adequately
connected to the protective earth conductor.

Plugs and sockets to BS EN 60309 (previously BS 4343) provide better protection

against damp and rain, and are ideal for use at outdoor locations. Since they are a
tougher design than the specialist 15 A designs, they should be used for all new
installations.

Cables

Power cables from the lighting booms to the dimmer cabinet or control cubicle are
often multi-core. You should ensure that such cables are suitably flexible and
protect against abrasion or other mechanical damage.

If there is any risk of the cables getting hot from the lights, they should be of a type
which is sheathed in or protected by heat-resisting material.

■■ Make sure flexible cables are properly secured in a cable grip at the plug or
other termination.
■■ All plugs and sockets should be adequate in terms of voltage and current
ratings and they should be in good condition; the protective earth connection is
particularly important.
■■ Ensure all circuits have their own phase, neutral and protective conductors
which should all be the same size.

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Earthing

A dimmer can act as a marshalling point for cables to a lighting boom. All the
exterior metalwork of the dimmer should be adequately earthed. There can
sometimes be separate connections for outgoing earth wires for lights.

Alternatively, you can rely on the earth connection of the outgoing plugs and
sockets. There should be no provision in dimmers for ‘lifting’ (ie disconnecting)
earths.

Special effects

Some lasers, strobes and other high-intensity lighting use high voltages internally so
it is particularly important to ensure they are in good condition and properly earthed
if necessary. Setting up such equipment is a job normally carried out by specialists.

References
1 Maintaining portable and transportable electrical equipment HSG107
(Third edition) HSE Books 2013 www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg107.htm

2 IET Code of practice for in-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment
Institution of Engineering and Technology www.theiet.org

3 Essential Health and Safety Requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety)

Regulations 1994 (the Low Voltage Directive) www.legislation.gov.uk

Further reading

The health and safety toolbox: How to control risks at work HSG268
HSE Books 2013 www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg268.htm

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. Guidance on Regulations HSR25

(Third edition) HSE Books 2015 www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsr25.htm

Electrical safety and you: A brief guide Leaflet INDG231(rev1) HSE Books 2012
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg231.htm

Electrical safety at places of entertainment General Guidance Note GS50

HSE Books 2013 www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/gs50.htm

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Checklist for portable appliances

Listed below are typical routine electrical checks for portable apparatus. This
checklist is only intended as a guide; certain apparatus may need different or
additional inspections and tests. The checks should be carried out by a suitably
competent person.

Note: Non-electrical checks are outside the scope of this leaflet.

Equipment:

Make Model Serial number

User inspection: With equipment disconnected

Item What to look for Pass condition

1 Mains plug Check for broken No cracks in plug casing. No damage

casing, and cable allowing contact with plug internal
properly clamped connections. Cable clamped securely by
outer sheath, no inner insulation visible

2 Mains lead Check for cuts, No inner (coloured brown, blue or green/
splits and crush yellow) insulation visible; no bulges in cable,
damage no kinks or twists or taped up joints

3(a) Equipment Check for broken No cracks in plug or socket casing. No

connector (or) casing on equip- damage allowing contact with plug or socket
ment and cable internal connections. Cable clamped securely
connectors. Check by outer sheath, no inner insulation visible
cable clamp

3(b) Equipment Check grommet or No sharp edges on contact with cable. Cable
cable entry clamp still there. clamped securely. No inner insulation visible
Check cable clamp

4 Mains on/off Check for broken No cracked insulation, no loose parts, no

switch, voltage insulation parts missing
selector switch,
fuse holders etc

5 Equipment Check for general No holes (large enough to put a finger in)
housing condition. Check for close to mains cable or switches. No rattles
loose parts inside when you tilt it a quarter of a turn

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Further information
For information about health and safety, or to report inconsistencies or inaccuracies
in this guidance, visit www.hse.gov.uk/. You can view HSE guidance online and
order priced publications from the website. HSE priced publications are also
available from bookshops.

British Standards can be obtained in PDF or hard copy formats from

BSI: http://shop.bsigroup.com or by contacting BSI Customer Services for hard
copies only Tel: 0845 086 9001 email: [email protected].

This guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Following the guidance
is not compulsory, unless specifically stated, and you are free to take other action.
But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with
the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and
may refer to this guidance.

This leaflet is available at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg247.htm.

© Crown copyright If you wish to reuse this information visit

www.hse.gov.uk/copyright.htm for details. First published 08/17.

Published by the Health and Safety Executive 08/17 INDG247(rev2) Page 12 of 12