Electricity is a major cause of accidental fires in homes in the UK - over 20,000 each year.
Did you know?
That 89% of electrical fires are caused by electrical products, 11% are caused by installation faults or by people not using installations correctly.
The products below cause almost 12,000 fires and 3,000 injuries each year. These are:
- Electric cooking appliances (such as cooker and microwaves);
- Laundry appliances (such as washing machines and tumble dryers);
- Electrial lighting;
- Portable heaters; and
How can you be safe?
By having the electrics in your home regularly checked and by taking some simple precuations with your electrical appliances, you can reduce the risk of fire.
You can also ensure that the following products are installed in your home.
- Residual Current Device (RCD) this prevents you from getting a fatal electric shock if you touch a live object.
- Smoke Alarms - for more information see our page on Smoke Alarms.
- Fire Plan - make sure you have have a plan in place to get your family or staff out safely.