Life Saving Electrical Safety Tips to Use at Home

Life Saving Electrical Safety Tips to Use at Home

Power has a price.

You may not realise it, but the electricity we’ve all come to enjoy in our homes has its risks. Every year, about 300 Australians are hospitalised because of home electrical accidents. 

Most of these accidents can be easily prevented by taking a few extra safety measures around electricity. 

Keep reading to learn our top home electrical safety tips.

Not the Time for DIY

Many of us celebrate our ability to do home repairs ourselves. But it’s important to remember that you should never do your own electrical repairs. Always call a professional electrician. 

That said, there are a few things you can do on your own as long as you’re careful. Only change lightbulbs after the lamp has been turned off or unplugged. And you can reset a circuit breaker as long as you know where to locate your breaker box. 

But any task that involves touching wires should be done by a professional. And that includes repairing appliances.

Even if you unplug before you do the work, you may not get the wiring correct. This leaves you open to the possibility of an electrical fire after you’ve plugged the appliance back in.

Electricity & H2O: A Bad Combo

It’s easy to forget that electricity and water are dangerous when mixed. Be especially careful in the kitchen and near the toilet and bath.

Don’t leave appliances, including your toaster or blender, plugged in near sinks.

Take care when using appliances like coffee pots that mix water and electricity. Always follow directions to ensure the water stays away from power sources, like the cord or wall outlet.

When you’re done using them, unplug appliances like curling irons and hair dryers and store them away from water sources. And never leave something like this plugged in and unattended, even for a moment.

Childproof Now, Not Later

Many electrical accidents involve children, so it’s important to childproof your home before your children begin crawling. 

Use plastic plugs in all electrical outlets. It’s best to do this even if you don’t think they can reach it. You never know when your child will decide to climb up onto a countertop or table. 

Teach them to never touch light switches or appliances with wet hands. Make sure all electrical cords are hidden from view. This is also a good idea to keep kids (and adults) from tripping over cords. 

Always unplug your mobile chargers when they’re not in use. These items are easy to forget, but a charger left unattended can easily be picked up and sucked on by a child. 

Special Days Need Special Care

Many of our holiday decorations involve electrical components. Take special care during Christmas time and when decorating for birthday parties. 

If you’re putting up lights outside, only use those that are made to go outside. Indoor lights aren’t meant to stand up to sun and outdoor weather. They can easily wear down, causing a fire or electrocution hazard. 

When putting up lights, inspect them before you string them. Make sure there aren’t any loose wires or worn spots. If you spot any signs of wear, throw them out and get new lights. 

Keep these lights out of reach of children. Just like chargers, they can easily put them in their mouths and shock themselves. And never leave string lights on overnight or while you’re out of the home.

We hear horror stories all too often about fires started by faulty or sub-standard Christmas lights in Australian homes. 

Stay Safe with These Home Electrical Safety Tips

Don’t let yourself become one of the statistics. By implementing these important electrical safety tips, you can keep yourself and your family safe from electrical accidents. 

Not sure if you need an electrician or not? Check out this article to learn the 7 signs that you need to call one ASAP!