Electrical Safety |
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Electricity is often overlooked as a possible fire hazard. Maybe this is because there is no flame. However, in Warwickshire, hundreds of fires in the home are reported each year as being caused by electrical faults or by misuse of electrical equipment.
Do not become one of the hundreds. Check your electrics.
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| Wiring |
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Look out for the warning signs of dangerous wiring:
Hot plugs and sockets
Fuses that blow for no obvious reason
Lights flickering
Brown scorch marks on sockets and plugs
Frayed flexes/cables
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If you notice any of these signs you should ask a qualified electrician to check your wiring.
Regular checks of the wiring in your home should help prevent these danger signs occurring.
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| Plugs and cables |
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Some electrical appliances are designed to be left switched on all the time, such as video recorders, fridges and freezers. Check the manufacturers instructions or, if you are unsure check with the shop where you bought it. All other electrical appliances should be switched off at the appliance, turned off at the plug and ideally unplugged when not in use. Remove plugs carefully - do not pull on the flex.
When buying new equipment look out for safety certification mark. This means that quality control procedures in the factory have been independently checked and approved.
Don't leave power leads where they can be tripped over, near a source of water, or close to the cooker top, especially if there are loose coils that could be pushed onto a ring.
If a power lead has a crack or hole, stop using it. Throw it away. Never mend it with insulating tape. Never join two pieces of cable yourself.
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| Wiring a plug |
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The outer covering of the power lead should go inside the plug and be secured there. Inside the plug the wires should be held firmly in their places. If the coloured wires are sticking out at the plug, not only could they be pulled loose but water and debris could get inside the plug.
Learn the wiring colours and make sure you follow them when fitting a plug:
Live - Brown wire, Earth - Yellow/Green wire, Neutral - Blue wire
The fuse is designed to stop any overheating. If the wrong fuse is fitted and there is a problem, a fire could occur. Always use the correct fuse for the equipment you are using and follow the manufacturers instructions.
Appliances that use up to 700 watts - 3 amp fuse, 700 - 1000 watts - 5 amp fuse, 1000+ watts - 13 amp fuse.
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| Extension leads and adaptors |
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Overloading a socket by using several adaptors can cause it to overheat and catch fire.
- Use a good quality bar type adaptor rather than a block adaptor
- Only use one adaptor per socket
- Don't allow the total current used by the appliances plugged into the adaptor add up to more than 13 amps of current altogether or 3000 watts of power.
- This means you should never run more than one appliance that uses a lot of current, such as a kettle or television from one socket.
Some reel type extension leads are not designed to be used unless they are fully unwound or can only be used with less power appliances, check the casing. Otherwise it can overheat and catch fire.
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| Dealing with Electrical Fires |
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The basic rule in fires is that you should put people's safety above every other consideration. But if a fire has just started and hasn't spread, you may be able to tackle it.
If you have any doubt about tackling the fire, get out and dial 999.
With electrical fires, it's vital that you do things right.
- Pull the plug out or switch off the power at the fuse box. This may stop the fire immediately.
- Smother the fire with a fire blanket, or use a dry powder extinguisher.
- Never use water on it.
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 For further Fire Safety information and advice contact:
The Fire Safety Helpline on 01926 466282
National Community Fire Safety Centre Website www.firekills.gov.uk
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