How to deal with electricity accidents at home
According to the core data set of the Electrical Safety First site, there were approximately 19,300 accidental domestic fires that occurred as a result of electrical failure between 2014 and 2019.
Many of these occurred due to faulty appliances or fuel supplies, while the broader factor of ‘misuse’ is also cited as a cause in many accidental fires.
Of course, smaller electrical shocks and accidents can occur at any time, while such instances are becoming more frequent and dangerous as people spend more time working from home. But what factors cause electrical faults in the first place, and what steps can you take to deal with electrical accidents at home?
What Causes Electrical Faults in the Home?
Aside from instances where appliances and fuel supplies may be faulty, there are other common causes of electrical faults in the home.
One such cause is so-called ‘arc flashes’, which accounts for hundreds of serious electrical injuries a year. This produces a considerable level of light and heat which results from an electrical explosion or discharge, which in turn is caused by a connection issue through air to ground.
On a fundamental level, small electrical shocks and associated injuries often occur as a result of people working on or near equipment that’s believed to be disconnected but is actually live.
The same principle may apply when you overload sockets with multiple extension leads and connections, so you may want to ensure that you avoid this wherever possible.
How to Deal With Electrical Accidents at Home
The question that remains, of course, is how can you deal with electrical faults and associated accidents at home? Here are some steps to keep in mind:
- #1. Seek Out the Relevant Insurance: Let’s start with the basics; as the reality of electrical accidents is that many occur despite the best efforts of home-owners and tenants. So, you need to take proactive steps to safeguard your property and material possessions, ideally by taking out tenants' content insurance and policies that provide a measure of financial protection. This way, you’ll be at least partially prepared if the worst case scenario occurs.
- #2. Replace Old and Damaged Wiring: If you live in an older home or own outdated electrical appliances, we’d also recommend inspecting your wiring and making replacements where possible. Of course, you’ll need to hire a qualified and accredited electrician to inspect your home’s wiring and make the necessary changes, but this relatively minor upfront cost is more than compensated by the prevention of future damages and injury.
- #3. Avoid Overloading Outlets and Use the Proper Wattage: We’ve already touched on the issue surrounding outlets, as it’s easy to overload sockets and use additional extension cords over time. However, this provides a direct risk that should be minimised at source, by ensuring that you only have a small number of outlets plugged in at any given time. Also, you should consider using the correct wattage light bulbs in fixtures, to avoid overloading the circuit and causing a serious fault.
