Lighting columns, traffic signals, feeder pillars, EV charging points and illuminated signs can become live through faults, damaged cables, water ingress or incorrect installations. Live electricity may not be visible, but it can cause serious injury or a fatality. This is the case for making one small check routine.
The recommendation
A voltstick check is simple, quick and effective: it identifies the possible presence of voltage before anyone touches the equipment. As an investment it is small — £15 to £20 per unit depending on specification — against the cost of a single electric-shock incident.
What it buys you
- Safety — reduces the risk of electric shock, burns and serious injury, for your people, contractors and the public.
- Risk reduction — identifies potentially live equipment before contact, cutting exposure to hidden electrical faults.
- Compliance — supports duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, and demonstrates reasonably practicable steps to protect the workforce.
- Culture — a visible, repeated commitment to working safely; the check becomes the habit.
Rolling it out
- Procure — approved voltsticks for all relevant team members.
- Train — practical training on correct use, limitations, and daily function testing.
- Implement — make the voltstick check mandatory before any physical contact.
- Monitor — supervisors check compliance through site inspections and safety audits.
- Review — regularly review effectiveness and incident data.
Write the requirement into your Safe Systems of Work, RAMS and training programmes so it survives staff turnover and time pressure. A proactive check today prevents a life-changing incident tomorrow.
Rewritten for the Bureau from the original. Method drawn from Sygma’s own training material.