The regulations were first brought out into force on 1st April 1990. They were made under the Health & Safety at work (etc) Act 1974 and they made clear the steps that must be taken to ensure the safety of electrical systems and equipment.

The regulations require that precautions be taken to lower the risk of things such as injury or death from electrical activities in work. The regulations state that in order to avoid the use of equipment to create dangerous situations, it should be maintained throughout its working life.The regulations include premises that are used by the public (including staff and all other employees within the premises). This would include hospitals, schools, shops, factories, offices, etc.

To meet the obligations that are expected of them, employers and the self-employed should arrange for periodical inspections and tests for all portable electrical equipment that is in their responsibility.

Equipment that is held in the hand during its normal use; or equipment that can be moved from on place to another easily while connected to a supply or that can be moved while in operation should be included in the regular inspection programme.

In the Health & Safety regulations there is no mention of the time period between maintenance checks; however the Health & Safety Executive recommends 'regular' inspections. The time allowed between the inspections and tests depends largely on the type of equipment but also it's age, condition and operating environment. The IEE Code of Practise for the in-service inspection for electrical equipment provides a guide that can be used until enough experience is collected of the equipment to know what is appropriate in that circumstance.

The Safety regulations themselves do not indicate which tests should be carried out in order to verify the equipment electrical safety. Although it is generally recommended by the Health & Safety Executive that a inspection should take place regularly and testing should be done if necessary.
If testing is found to be necessary, reference should be taken from the IEE Code of Practise for the standard tests that should be carried out.