Working with property expert Phil Spencer, Electrical Safety First is raising awareness of the serious risks people take in the home, sometimes with devastating consequences. And it highlights the need to use registered electricians, and other suitably qualified tradespeople, to undertake domestic repairs and remodelling.
The investigation by Electrical Safety First identifies the kitchen as the most dangerous room in a house but notes that accidents can happen anywhere – from hair straightener burns in the bedroom, to drilling through wire in a hallway. The research also details the increasing number of unnecessary risks people take, such as overloading sockets and fixing appliances that are still plugged in – with sometimes devastating consequences. Electricity causes 70 deaths annually and 350,000 serious injuries and, in the last year, it’s estimated that house fires caused almost £1 billion worth of damage.
‘This campaign highlights how everyday behaviour can put us at risk – and shows why it’s so important to use registered tradesmen for gas, electrics and plumbing, to keep your home in good shape,’ explains Phil Buckle, director general of Electrical Safety First.
Electrical Safety First has created a ‘House of Horrors’ video demonstrating the risks we take around the house. To view the video, visit www.electricalsafetyfirst.org/homesafe
