Electrical Safety Tips for Your Home

Electricity is an invaluable asset which we all cannot live without. It is used to power the various appliances we use at home like the television, refrigerator, washing machines, electric heating, mobile phones, and others. Almost every appliance uses electricity in one way or the other. Going forward electric cars would be a major components of our lives and at some point, we may have to charge them at home when the technology has been tested and approved.
 
Electrical safety is important as it keeps us safe from hazards like electrocution, shocks, and accidental deaths. As electricity is a huge part of our lives and we use electric appliances from dusk to dawn, it is easy to forget how dangerous electricity and electrical appliances can be if we are not careful. Studies by Uswitch show that there were over 70 deaths and 350,000 serious injuries in the UK caused by electricity. In addition, there were over 10,000 accidental fires from electricity.
 
While electricity is essential to our daily lives we must always be safe while enjoying the benefits of electricity. Here are a few key tips we have compiled to improve your electrical safety.
 
Switch off all Appliances not in use from the mains
Always switch off all electrical appliances from the mains socket when not in use. This is a major security precaution against electric shocks or even fires. For instance, TVs, game consoles, digital satellite boxes etc should be switched off from the main sockets. This not only saves you money as appliances on standby consume electricity, but it is also for your safety. You are much safer if these appliances are off when there is a major electric fault. When going away from your home for a long time or on holiday, switch all appliances off as well. As a rule of thumb, switch off all appliances when you’re off to bed and switch them back on when you need them.
 
Have Visual Electrical Safety Checks
To improve electrical safety in your home always have visual electrical checks.

• This means making sure there are no naked cables or wires
• No damaged sockets around the property
• No damage to the light fittings in any of the rooms and hallways
• No trailing cables or wires under rugs or carpets
• No electrical appliances are left on in the bathroom

 
It is essential to have visible checks on a regular basis. In addition, understanding the basic electric wiring system of your home is necessary.  You should know the location of the fuse boxes and the key lever for turning on and off electric power in the home in case of emergencies.
 
Keep Electrical items Away from the Bathroom
To be safe, keep electrical items far away from water in the bathroom. The bathroom is considered a more dangerous area in the home because wet skin reduces the body’s resistance and the consequences of an electric shock are more severe. Mixing water with electricity can be deadly. Some safety tips for keeping safe in the bathroom include:

• Avoid leaving electric appliances in the bathroom e.g. hair dryers. Use them and take them away from the bathroom
• Use only enclosed lighting in the bathroom. Any fittings that are not enclosed should be out of reach or far away from anyone using the bathroom
• No sockets should be allowed in the bathroom apart from the shaving supply unit. However, if they are installed then they should be three meters away from the bath and shower.
• Electric showers should have their own circuits directly from the fuse box.

 
Be Safe in the Kitchen
Although the kitchen is an area where water and electricity are in proximity, we advise that you always keep safe in the kitchen. The kitchen contains electrical appliances like the refrigerator, electric kettle, toaster, blenders amongst other items. For your electrical safety, ensure that all sockets and switches are at a safe distance from the sink (recommended 30cm horizontally). Some useful tips include

• Not wrapping cables around appliances while they are warm
• No overloading of sockets
• Do not clean any electrical appliance while it is on and still connected to the electric mains
• Turn off appliances at the mains when not in use
• Not storing appliances on top of others e.g. microwaves

Based on government statistics, the largest number of accidental reported fires caused by electricity at home has been due to the misuse of electrical cooking appliances. This is totally avoidable.
 
Avoid Fixing Electric Items Without Training
While it is great to have DIY skills to undertake minor fitting or repair tasks in your home, it is not advisable to extend this to fixing electric installations or appliances in the home. If you have no formal training to undertake electrical repair work, please do not do it. The risk is high, and you could be killed. If an electric appliance is not working, then contact a trained electrical technician as they have the tools and expertise to find solutions.
 
Have Regular Electrical Safety inspections with a Qualified Electrician
As part of the overall maintenance programme for your home, electrical safety inspections should be key. A qualified electrician should check your sockets and switches ensuring they have the right voltage and inspect your fuse boxes. Where fuses have blown, they should be replaced. Government law makes it mandatory that electric safety inspections are conducted before letting out a home or apartment. For homeowners, it is key to have an electrical safety assessment once a year that way you spot any dangers early instead of being reactive.
 
In these modern times, electricity is really central to our lives as it powers most of the appliances we use on a day to day basis. From communication to entertainment to the food we eat, electricity plays a major role. We can be safe while enjoying the benefits of using electricity in our homes by following these useful tip here.