There have recently been a number of incidents in the press regarding electrical safety. From tumble dryers setting on fire to overloaded extensions, the count is dangerously high. It’s vital that you know what to look for and what precautions to take and Electrical Safety First are reminding people of what they should look out for to have a safe and happy home.
Firstly – it’s important that we stress that you should ALWAYS use a registered electrician. There are various ways that you can check, but we recommend using the Registered Competent Person website to search for an electrician. Maintracts are one of the many companies listed.
Here are a number of simple checks that you can carry out yourself (source: Electrical Safety First):
- Check that you have RCD protection in your fusebox
- Make sure that your plug sockets are not overloaded. Electrical Safety First has developed an online “socket calculator” to help you to check that yours are safe
- Ensure that plugs and sockets are not damaged
- Check that visible cables and leads are in good condition
- Check that your light fittings are not visibly damaged and that downlighters are in good working condition
- Check that you are not storing combustible materials around your fusebox, electricity meter or electrical instake
- Don’t use the top of the microwave for extra storage
- Never trail cables under carpets or rugs
- Never take mains-powered electrical items into the bathroom
- Always switch off your electrical items when they are not in use
We hope that you find this guide useful. For more information visit: www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk
And if you would like to hire a registered electrician please get in touch.
