Electricity is so much part of daily life that we often take it for
granted. It is a powerful and versatile
energy but can be dangerous if it is
not used properly.
Serious accidents with electricity can occur in the home. It's
important to know the basic rules about electricity use and what risks not to
take.
Your home's electricity supply comes through the ESB Networks main fuse and
meter. Both of these items are sealed and must never be interfered with. The
safety of the electrical wiring installation in your home and how electric
appliances are used and maintained are your responsibility.
General Safety Tips
- Be
vigilant for frayed wires, loose connections or damaged plugs and replace
them immediately
- For
extra safety, always switch off and unplug electrical items when not in
use
- Always
unwind extension leads fully to avoid overheating
- Don’t
overload sockets with adaptors or extension blocks
- Test
your trip switch or residual current device (RCD) twice yearly (when the
clocks change) by pushing the test button
- Test
your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms twice yearly (when the clocks
change) to ensure they are working
- Always
use a registered Electrical Contractor to carry out electrical work.
Outdoor Safety Tips
- Always
look up and watch out for overhead electricity wires
- Never
approach or touch fallen electricity wires as they are live and extremely
dangerous
- Never
attach anything to an electricity pole or wire
- Don't
carry out any work near overhead wires or poles
Home Improvement Safety Tips
- When carrying out work close to your overhead electricity
supply such as painting or roofing work, contact ESB Networks to shroud
the wires
- When using a ladder at roof height make sure not to touch or
come close to the electricity wires or connections
- If the work you are doing requires the electricity wires to
be moved or altered, contact ESB Networks
- If you are getting external wall insulation see our guide (PDF | 3 MB).
ETCI Certificate
If you are getting a new house
wired or having existing wiring renewed or extended you must get an ETCI
completion certificate from your Electrical Contractor. This certificate is the
contractor's statement that the installation complies with the National Wiring
Rules. The ETCI certificate is also required by ESB Networks before a new supply
can be connected.
For more information see the Commission for Energy
Regulation website and the Electro Technical Council of Ireland website.
Trip switches and other essential safety
features
Trip switches (RCDs), fuses and
miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) are essential safety features in all homes as
they make your electrical installation safe if a fault occurs.
Appliance
Safety Tips
·
Always read the manufacturer's
instructions carefully before using a new appliance
·
Treat flexes with care and
check regularly for signs of wear
·
Don't repair a damaged flex or
make joints to extend a flex
·
Replace all appliances or plugs
which are broken or have signs of excessive heating
·
Don't drag an appliance by the
flex or pull on the flex to remove a plug from the socket
·
Don't overload sockets, use
fused extension leads if required
·
Uncoil an extension lead
completely before use
·
Don't cover an electric heater
with clothing or other items
·
Keep heaters away from
bedclothes, clothing and curtains to avoid risk of fire
·
Don’t use portable appliances
in a wet location such as the bathroom or the garden when it's raining
Kitchen Safety Tips
Kitchen
Safety Tips
Special care should be taken when using appliances in the kitchen,
where the combination of electricity, water, trailing flexes and hot surfaces
makes it potentially more dangerous.
Take note of our safety tips below.
Kitchen
Safety Tips
·
Always operate plugs or
switches with dry hands
·
Don't wrap flexes around
kettles, irons or toasters while they are still hot as the flexes may get
damaged
·
Unplug an appliance before you
clean it
·
If bread gets stuck in a
toaster, always unplug it before trying to release it
·
Don't line the grill pan with
cooking foil as the foil could make contact with live terminals
·
Unplug an electric kettle
before filling it and make sure that the element is covered by the water
·
Unplug a steam iron before
filling it
·
Make sure flexes aren't trailing
across the cooker hob or sink
Bathroom Safety Tips
Bathroom
Safety Tips
Special precautions are necessary in the bathroom because the wet
surroundings pose a greater risk of electric shock than anywhere else in the
house. For this reason, no sockets other than specially designed shaver outlets
are allowed in bathrooms.
Portable appliances such as hairdryers, radios or heaters must
not be used in the bathroom, even if plugged in outside the bathroom.
Electric showers and heaters must be installed by a registered
electrical contractor
Outside
Equipment Safety Tips
Outside
Equipment Safety Tips
·
Ensure you have an RCD
installed or use a plug-in RCD with all tools and equipment you use in the
garage or garden
·
Don't use electric tools in the
garden if it begins to rain or you are watering the garden
·
Check appliances, flexes and
plug-tops before use
·
Always replace a damaged flex
or plug-top - don't repair it
·
Keep trailing flexes well clear
of cutting edges of lawnmowers, hedge-trimmers and electric saws
·
Unplug a lawnmower or
hedge-trimmer before removing grass or debris from the blades
·
Don't extend a flex by jointing
or with home-made plug and socket assemblies; buy one of adequate length for
outdoor use or use approved extension reels
·
Don't leave appliances or tools
unattended when they are plugged in
·
Wear stout rubber boots when
using appliances in the garden; gloves also give added protection
·
Always follow manufacturer's
instructions regarding the use of protective clothing, goggles, and footwear
·
Treat all powered cutting tools
with care
Garden Lights and Water Pumps
·
Make sure all pumps and garden
lights are rated for use outdoors.
·
Permanent outdoor wiring must
be installed by a registered Electrical Contractor.
·
Cables must be properly buried
at a suitable depth. Do not string cables, even low voltage cables,
through hedging or plants, along paths or borders. The cable can be easily cut
when you are gardening and can cause serious injury.
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