Oil-filled switchgear-enforcement aspects

The author is the head of the section in the Field Operations Directorate (FOD) (i.e. the part of the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that goes out inspecting) that, among many other things, decides the overall operational policy on matters to do with the use of electricity and on the Electricity at Work Regulations within FOD. He works very closely with his electrical engineers. They meet together to discuss a variety of electrical topics, and to review the work being done. It was as a result of concerns raised at one of the meetings, regarding the ageing population of oil filled switchgear and its condition, that they decided to set up a project to focus peoples attention on switchgear with a view to ensuring that appropriate action is taken. This type of equipment is not getting any younger and they foresaw an increase in serious or fatal incidents