Electrical Safety in Your Home

Electricity can be dangerous, and you have to be very careful when handling electrical appliances in your home.

As your landlord, we have a duty to make sure that electrical wiring in your home is safe. The Association has a cyclical maintenance programme where your electrics are tested in line with current legislation. Being a tenant, the condition and safety of appliances you bring into your home are your responsibility.

What if there is no power? This is what you should do -

Our homes are full of electrical appliances that can cause electrocution, damage, and fire. Appliances not in use should therefore always be switched off. If you have any doubts about the safety of an appliance, get it tested or replace it.

The danger signs....

frayed, cut or damaged cables
incorrectly wired plugs or cracked plug cases
long or overheated cables, and burn marks on plugs or cables
blown fuses
loose cord grips in plugs or appliances
a smell of burnt plastic
overloading sockets
wet objects near plug sockets or cable

Make sure to check that...

plugs and sockets are undamaged
cables and leads are in good condition, and not trailed under carpets or rugs
light fittings are not visibly damaged
you are not storing combustible materials around your fusebox or meter
you don't use the top of the microwave for extra storage
you never take mains-powered electrical items into the bathroom

Are my sockets overloaded?

Socket extensions can be useful but become dangerous if overloaded. You should only use one socket extension lead per socket and never plug an extension lead into another extension lead.

This socket calculator lets you know if your sockets are safe.

The Socket Calculator has been brought to you by Electrical Safety First.

For more safety information visit http://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk

If you have any questions about electricity in your home, do not hesitate to contact us.