Every year in the UK people are needlessly injured or killed in house fires. In the UK there were 44,000 house fires in the year 2011-12. Of these, 37,600 were accidental fires and 14,700 fires were in relation to misuse of electrical appliances and equipment. It comes as no surprise to realise that electrical fire in the home is a growing problem.
Unfortunately many electrical fires that occur could have been easily prevented. Fires in the home do not make sensational headlines. They happen behind closed doors and many people believe it won't happen to them.
Fire brigades up and down the country are issuing warnings to take more care with electricity and electrical items. The warnings come as stark reminders to householders who may be taking risks with electricity and serve as a reminder that electricity is dangerous and does kill. Just following a few simple safety tips will ensure that the likelihood of an accidental fire in your home drops considerably.
Fires can cause devastating consequences and if you are lucky enough to survive uninjured, you will have caused costly damage to your property.
Electrical fires accounted for 28% of accidental fires in the UK. They were made up of space heating appliances, electrical distribution and other electrical appliances. Electrical related fires account for over a quarter of accidental fires and is the second largest cause of accidental fire in the UK. The biggest cause of accidental fires at 52% was improper use of cooking appliances.
Using faulty electrical appliances and leads do kill. Despite constant warnings being issued by fire brigades and other key electrical charities such as the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) using faulty appliances and leads accounted for 19 fatalities in the UK in 2011-12. This highlights the importance of regularly checking leads for signs of damage and ensuring the appliance is clean and operated in accordance with manufacturers instructions.
The misuse of appliances and equipment was the biggest cause of non-fatal casualties – 2,600 in accidental house fires. This has now taken over the casualty rate for chip pan fires which has been declining since 2004.
The news is not all bad though as it does appear that householders are beginning to take more care in the use of electrical appliances with casualty rates falling by 80 to 900 cases in 2011-12. One of the main causes of unnoticed house fires are leaving items such as hair straighteners accidentally switched on and overloaded sockets. Householders are being encouraged to unplug electrical items when not in use and not to rely heavily on extension leads.
Poor and inferior wiring in the home (either due to deterioration or from tampering) contributes to accidental fires also. Fire can break out inside walls without the householder realising. Any apparent problem such as hissing or bad smells coming from sockets, flickering lights and any other concern should receive attention from a qualified, registered electrician. The best way to prevent such problems occurring in the first place is to have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) carried out. For home owners, the recommended time span between inspections is no more than 10 years, the requirements for rental properties vary. This ensures that any potential problems with the electricity supply can be addressed and rectified before any real problems occur. Unexpected smells and sounds coming from your electrical outlets are a sign that something is not right.
Finally, ensure your home has a working smoke alarm. Should a fire break out in your home you will be alerted and will avoid you and your family becoming trapped in your home or intoxicated by smoke and fumes caused by the fire. Fire alarms can be either battery operated or mains powered. It is important to locate the fire alarms correctly in your home so that they are most likely to alert you in the event of a fire. An electrician can advice on this or alternatively your local fire brigade will be happy to advice. Fire alarms should be tested at regular intervals, ideally weekly to ensure they are functioning correctly.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fil...