PLUGS AND CABLES
Checking your plugs and cables is crucial in maintaining a safe home. A worn cord can emit heat, quickly setting fire to combustible surfaces. We recommend that you check plugs and cables regularly, as they can be damaged with frequent use.
FOLLOW THESE SIMPLE STEPS:
• Remove the plug from the socket
• Has the cable come away from the appliance or the plug?
• Is there any damage to the wire?
NOW CHECK THE PLUG:
Is there damage to the plastic casing?
Has it overheated or is it discoloured?
Does the plug meet British Standard BS 1363?
Check that there's no wiring showing at the base
THERE ARE OVER 37,000 HOUSE FIRES A YEAR IN THE UK CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
EXTENSION LEADS
Where possible your appliances should be plugged directly into a socket. We would only recommend extension cords as a temporary measure.
In some cases using an extension lead is unavoidable, mainly when using lamps or other appliances that have short cords.
KEEP AN EYE ON THE FOLLOWING:
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Damaged or tangled cables
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Overusing multi-way adapters or adapter blocks can significantly increase the risk of fire
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If you have to use an extension cable, use one which you bought ready-assembled
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Always check that extension leads and plugs are undamaged
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If you're using an extension lead that has to cross a room, cover it with a rubber
protector strip.
NOW CHECK THE PLUG:
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Did you know that there are a reported 20,000 household fires in the UK every year and claim the lives of 60 to 70 people?
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Our modern homes are full of appliances that have the potential to become hazards, especially when we start to plug them all into one socket.
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Many of us will use a 4-way bar adapter to plug in such things as our phone charger, the stereo, a kettle or a toaster, etc. Whatever we plug in, we assume that because there's space, it's safe.
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That's not always true.
ELECTRICAL OVERLOADS LEAD TO POWER SURGES WHICH DAMAGE APPLIANCES & CAUSE FIRES
RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICE
Or an RCD for short. These are designed to prevent you from receiving a fatal electric shock, should you touch something live like a bare wire.
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As well as potentially saving your life, an RCD can also provide some protection against electrical fires.
FIXED RCDs
As you'd expect, a fixed RCD provides the highest level of protection as it protects every socket on a circuit, as well as the wiring, including any connected appliances. Fixed RCDs are 97% reliable.
SOCKET- OUTLET RCDs
These special socket-outlets have an RCD built into them. Please note, that this type of RCD will only protect the person in contact with the equipment that's plugged into the RCD socket-outlet.
PORTABLE RCDs
These will plug into any standard socket-outlet, and in turn, you can then plug the appliance into the portable RCD. Again, these portable RCDs will only protect the person in contact with the equipment that's connected into the RCD socket-outlet.
300 DEATHS AND 4000 INJURIES A YEAR ARE CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL HAZARDS, RESULTING IN ELECTROCUTION