Using electricity safely is, of course, always incredibly important but if you have young children ensuring their safety is especially important. With this in mind and as there are only a couple of weeks to go now until the long summer holidays, we thought we’d offer a few simple tips and a little advice on you can keep your family safe:
• If you have very young children the chances are that you’ve bought some of those blank plastic socket covers which can be used to help stop small fingers from exploring where they shouldn’t. Although these are designed to prevent shocks, it’s worth bearing in mind that regular sockets are generally perfectly safe, provided they have been installed properly. Socket covers won’t prevent a shock if the socket itself is unsafe or has been incorrectly installed.
• Electrical fires can present a very real safety hazard but one of the most effective ways to help prevent electrical fires and reduce the risk of electric shocks is to ensure that your fuse box is protected with an RCD device. As lower-cost alternative, plug-in RCD protectors are also widely available – just make sure you buy a reputable brand from a reputable supplier.
• Always make sure that appliance cords are out of reach of children: kitchens can be particularly dangerous places for kids so make sure that any cords connected to the kettle, microwave, toaster etc. are placed well out of harm’s way. In addition, make sure any charger cables are also out of reach and don’t forget to completely unplug chargers when not in use.
In general electrical safety is all about common sense but if you’re worried about the electrics in your home or would like advice and information on how to ensure your home is protected, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our electrical services are available to customers throughout Leeds and we’re happy to provide a no-obligation quote at a time to suit you.
