It may be the season for giving, but you should make sure that you don’t give your loved ones faulty electrical goods.
Electrical products that aren’t properly certified are more likely to cause a fire. That’s why Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is urging residents to shop smartly for electrical projects this November.
Paul Scott, Prevention Manager at RBFRS says: “With more and more people looking to purchase electrical goods as gifts, we’re asking shoppers to take care and make sure that their products are safe to use.
“Only buy electrical products from reputable shops, ensuring they are properly certified and that the products have not been recalled. Faulty, cheap and unsafe electronics are much more likely to catch fire. Make sure that you also regularly check your plug sockets and wires for signs of damage – such as overheating when in use, scorch marks, flickering lights, or frayed cables.
“Just a few simple checks can help to keep your loved ones and your home safe.”
Follow this safety advice to reduce risks of an electrical fire:
Purchasing, Registering and Recalls
- Buy electrical products from reputable suppliers to ensure that they comply with UK safety regulations.
- Check that your products have not been recalled.
- Register all appliances, to receive notifications of any recalls or safety repairs. Register via the manufacturer’s website or on www.registermyappliance.org.uk.
Check for Damage
- Look out for signs of dangerous or loose wiring e.g. scorch marks, hot plugs and sockets, flickering lights, fuses that blow or circuit breakers that trip for no obvious reason.
- Keep appliances clean and in good working order e.g. regularly remove lint from tumble dryer filters.
Charging, Batteries and Plug Sockets
- Unplug electrical appliances and chargers when they’re not in use and when leaving them unattended.
- Don’t overload sockets – keep to one per socket.
- Avoid placing phones or other electric devices under pillows or blankets whilst charging.
- Avoid overcharging batteries.
- Always use a charger supplied with the device or recommended by the manufacturer – using any charger other than the one intended for the battery can increase the risk of damage.
- Don’t dispose of damaged or end of life batteries in your household waste or normal recycling. Ensure that they are disposed of properly at designated battery disposal banks.
- Never add extra batteries to e-bikes and e-scooters to try to make it go faster – this could result in a fire.
In the Event of a Fire
- Never use water on an electrical fire.
- If it is safe to do so, pull the plug out or switch the power off.
- Get out, stay out and call 999.
Read more electrical fire safety on the RBFRS website.