Every year, in the UK alone, electricity kills around 70 people, and injures approximately 350, 000. Many of these injured people never make a full recovery, and some have to go through arduous medical treatments, including skin grafting and amputation.
The physical injuries sustained by people who have suffered from electrocution may pale into insignificance when compared with their psychological injuries, with some victims experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders as a result of the electrical emergency.
If you are experiencing electrical problems at home or an electrical home emergency, then you should not attempt to fix it yourself unless you are absolutely certain you can do so safely. Around half of all electric shocks are caused by people attempting DIY, with some common causes including drilling into electric cables, cutting through power lines and fixing electrical items when they are still plugged in or when the mains electricity is still switched on.
A huge number of electrical accidents occur in the garden – Electrical Safety First found that 70% of people do not take appropriate safety precautions when using electrical items outside, with nearly one-third of people knowingly using electrical items while they are wet.
Electrical Safety First has therefore issued advice that can help people to ensure they do not electrocute themselves when attempting home improvements or DIY.
To stay safe and avoid electrical home emergencies:
- Use RCD protectors inside and outside. RCD protectors cut the electricity supply in the event of a fault. RCD protectors should be fitted in the fusebox, but in some circumstances, such as when working with broken electrical appliances and fittings outside, it may be necessary to use an additional plug-in RCD.
- Check cables and plugs for signs of damage, dirt or fraying before using them. Do not use a damaged electrical device until you have had it repaired by a competent electrician.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using garden equipment or power tools.
- Know where wall cables and underground cables are located – many electrical home emergencies are caused by people rupturing hidden cables.
- Don’t DIY if you’re not sure you can do it safely and get in touch with a competent electrician to perform the work.
If you have electrical emergency cover through your 247 Home Rescue home emergency cover service plan, then you will be protected in a range of different circumstances. These include:
- If your electrics fail as a result of a DIY accident
- If your fusebox breaks down
- If you lose power to a circuit
- If your wiring fails
- In the event of other electrical emergencies or the breakdown of your domestic electricity supply
Still having trouble?
Don’t attempt to make any changes to your electricals if you are unsure or not confident. Some electrical work in the home requires compliance with Part P building control and needs to be done in accordance with BS7671 wiring regulations. Don’t forget – electricity is VERY dangerous and can kill you.
Instead, call 24|7 Home Rescue on 0345 3192 247 and we can help. Our technical teams will run through some very simple troubleshooting with you over the phone to see if your problem can be resolved easily and if not, they will book one of our qualified and highly knowledgeable Part P certified engineers to get you back up and running as soon as possible.
247 Home Rescue accepts no liability for any injuries or damages you sustain following the advice on this website. If in doubt, seek professional assistance.
