Posts Tagged ‘replacement fuseboard’
With half of all domestic fires in the UK caused by electricity, leading safety charity, the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) has established an electrical fire prevention scheme and is now calling for funding applications.
The ESC’s funding initiative, which was launched in 2009 and funded 29 community safety projects, aims to reduce deaths and injuries from electrical fires across the country.
Applicants from local community services and organisations are invited to apply for up to £5,000 worth of funding for projects that play an active role in promoting and reducing the risk of electrical fires in their local community.
Last year’s award winners used their funding to develop a range of innovative electrical fire safety programmes. For example, Gloucestershire County Council’s Trading Standards Service tested the safety of goods bought online; and Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Services used ESC funding to support their ‘Junior Fire Safety Citizen Scheme’, where 10-11 year olds carried out a basic Home Fire Safety Check for an elderly person.
To apply for funding visit www.escfiresafety.org.uk. Funding applications close on Friday 16 July 2010.
References
* CLG Fire Statistics United Kingdom 2007
14/12/10
The Electrical Safety Council (ESC), in partnership with a range of leading electrical wholesalers, is launching a ‘toolkit’ for electricians. Designed to help contractors communicate the benefits of RCD protection to customers, the pack is part of the ESC’s flagship Plug into Safety campaign. From the 3rd September thousands of packs containing key information about the importance of RCD protection will be available from leading wholesalers throughout the UK and two million leaflets will be distributed via retail and trade outlets.
The Plug into Safety campaign aims to reduce the number of electrical accidents in the home by encouraging the installation and habitual use of RCDs. Every year in the UK about 70 people die1 and 1.2 million are injured in electrical accidents at home2. The Plug into Safety campaign is working with all elements of the electrical industry – including industry bodies, RCD manufacturers, electricians, and wholesalers – to encourage householders to check their electrics and install RCD protection.
Phil Buckle, Director General at the Electrical Safety Council, said: “Currently, more than half of UK homes – that’s 13 million – don’t have adequate RCD protection in their consumer unit, or fusebox as it is more commonly known3. We want to support the industry in leading the way in encouraging householders to install RCDs and take basic safety measures to ensure their homes and families are protected from the potential dangers of electricity. To encourage and support this, we’ve produced these easy-to-use packs to help electricians communicate how crucial RCD protection is to their customers.
We’re delighted with the high level of interest and support we’ve had from all sections of the industry so far, which has been essential to further increasing the momentum of the Plug into Safety campaign.”
Each electrician’s pack contains 50 Electrical Safety Council leaflets which, in addition to basic safety messages, will explain the importance of RCDs and help customers understand the benefits of ensuring their consumer unit contains RCD protection. Detachable blank business cards, which urge homeowners to install RCD protection, will also be included for electricians to leave with customers after a house-call.
Gary Fisher, an electrician based in London, said: “I always advise my customers to get RCD protection but sometimes it can be difficult to convince people just how crucial it really is. These leaflets clearly explain the issues and will help ensure that customers feel well-informed. As the information is from a respected charity and not a commercial enterprise, it also helps demonstrate that I have my customers’ best interests at heart, rather than me wanting to rake in the cash! And, as I can leave information behind for the customer to read at their leisure, I don’t have to do a ‘hard sell’ there and then”.
Neil Thomas, commercial manager at Denman’s Electrical – one of the campaign’s partners – said: “Denmans are delighted to support the Plug into Safety campaign. Raising awareness in this area is bound to reduce the number of electrical accidents and will also help to promote installation of RCDs in UK homes”.
Packs will be distributed through large wholesalers from 3rd September, or contractors can go online to www.esc.org.uk/plugintosafety to download a PDF of the Plug into Safety leaflet to attach to emailed quotations or invoices.
If you are interested in finding out more about how to help householders reduce the risk of an electrical accident please visit www.esc.org.uk/plugintosafety.
1Data supplied by the Department of Communities and Local Government, Health and Safety Executive and the World Health Organization – 2007
2IPSOS MORI – Derived from 2 surveys: the Capibus survey July 2010 and online survey June 2010
3Based on a survey of 16,204 homes carried out by BRE (formally the Building Research Establishment) over two years (2006,2007) for the English Housing Condition Survey
So, Plug into Safety – check your electrics at home and take the following precautions:
- Avoid using faulty or damaged electrical appliances, lighting and switches
- Consider upgrading to a modern fusebox (consumer unit) with built-in RCDs or get a plug-in RCD from your local DIY store or garden centre – it could save your life
- If you have any doubt about electrical safety in your home or if your electrics keep tripping, contact a registered electrician
Find out more about making your home safer
What’s an RCD? – An RCD is a life-saving device that protects against dangerous electric shock and reduces the risk of electrical fires.
What kind of RCD should you fit?
RCD in your fusebox – will give the highest level of protection to your family and home as covers all wiring, sockets and appliances on a circuit
Plug-in RCD – can be plugged into any socket and will protect you if a problem arises when using a particular appliance. They are available from most home-improvement stores and garden centres.
Why haven’t we heard about RCDs until now?
In a recent survey a third of respondents said they knew what an RCD was – however, we know that many people confuse them with circuit breakers, which offer nowhere near the same level of safety protection.
RCD protection has been around for many years, but there has been no requirement to fit it in older properties. With the increasing number of electrical devices we all have in the home and garden, we all need to consider electrical safety more. The Electrical Safety Council is running this campaign to cut the number of people killed or injured by electrical accidents by getting more of us to fit RCD protection at home.
Get an RCD – it could save your life.
For more general information on RCDs click here.
For information on how to recognise and test your RCD please visit our Fusebox Explained section.
