Important electricity safety tips

Electricity is a shock waiting to kill, and can also provide the spark for a fire. Don't unleash it. Follow the law and always be careful. Here are some important and potentially life-saving safety tips.

• The installation of electrical wiring and equipment is governed by regulations and standards.
• Only a licensed electrician can install fixed wiring and associated lights, power points and fixed appliances such as electric stoves.
• Non-professionals can replace bulbs and fluorescent tubes, repair fuses, reset circuit breakers, check cords and plugs for damage, and install low-voltage pot lights, provided you follow the instructions.
• Non-professionals can also assist electricians with unskilled tasks, such as digging ditches.

• If you don't have circuit breakers (MCBs) on your switchboard, use safety switches to instantly cut off the power in hazardous situations.
• Safety switches are available as part of extension cords and wall sockets, and are recommended for use with portable power tools operated outside with an extension cord.
• Water is a conductor of electricity, so safety switches also offer protection in wet areas such as bathrooms and laundry rooms.

• Babies and toddlers can be fascinated with electrical sockets, which, to their innocent eyes, are custom-made for the insertion of tiny objects.
• Sockets at floor level are an obvious hazard. Keep your little ones safe with childproof safety plugs.
• Look for plugs with smooth rather than hard edges, as they are much harder for little fingers to grasp and pull out.

• If you receive a minor shock from an electrical light, appliance or associated cord, lead, plug or other electrical accessory, stop using it immediately.
• Don't use it again until an electrician has checked it for safety, and any unsafe items have been repaired or replaced.

• Power surges, especially those caused by lightning strikes, can easily damage most modern electrical appliances and equipment – particularly computers.
• To prevent your expensive electronic equipment from being instantly reduced to junk, fit some surge protectors between your equipment and your main electricity supply.
• But check before you buy: some of the cheaper models of surge protectors (and even some pricier ones) won't protect your electronics from lightning strikes.

Keep these important and life-saving safety tips in mind to keep yourself, your family, your home, and your electronics safe.