So it’s our 1 year anniversary this month and I hope that at least a handful of you have heard the name ‘PC Electricals’ as we have been hard at work promoting electrical safety for homes and businesses across Dorset and Somerset on social media. With the media reporting ‘cowboys’ damaging peoples houses, everyone should have basic knowledge about how to stay safe and if not, you should know someone who does.

Electricity is an integral part of our lives, and we use it all day every day and I suspect most of the time without really thinking. This means that sometimes we can forget how powerful and dangerous it can be.

So what are the stats…..

According to Electrical Safety First around 70 people die each year and 350,000 people are seriously injured due to electrical incidents in the home. Electricity causes more than 20,000 fires a year – that’s almost half of all accidental UK house fires.

What can you do to stay safe?

• Don’t DIY any electrical installations in your home or business - Electrical Safety First's survey discovered that nearly half of all severe electric shocks are caused by DIY attempts, with the main errors including cutting through power leads, drilling into wiring & repairing electrical items while they’re still switched on!
• Regularly test and check your smoke alarms - when there is a fire, smoke spreads fast. A working smoke alarm gives you an early warning so you can get outside quickly. Watch out for our regular reminders to #testittuesday on Facebook and Twitter.
• Make an escape plan – a simple little plan that takes 10 minutes to prepare can ensure everyone is safely out of the building. Check out our social media pages for regular reminders of #fireplanfriday.
• Check your wiring - faulty and aging wiring is one of the major causes of electrical fires in the home. Get a registered electrician to check the wiring, accessories and sockets every 10 years, or if you are moving house ask for a Domestic Electrical Installation Condition Report.
• Use a registered qualified electrician - to carry out any electrical installation work that you need. Registered electricians (members of schemes such as NICEIC or ELESCA) work to the UK’s current safety standards and are assessed regularly to ensure they meet these standards. You should also check your electrician has a valid ECS card which proves they have had the necessary training and qualifications to carry out such work.

 If you are unsure about an installation, need advice or assistance please contact PC Electricals. We also have more electrical safety tips on our website www.pcelectricals-dorset.co.uk , Facebook or Twitter pages.