The risks of an electrical fire in any property, commercial or domestic, cannot be overstated. Electrical fires can be devastating both for structural damage, as well as for posing a serious threat to your staff, residents, customers or clients. Here at Walker Electrical, we are Preston’s leading electrical experts. From industrial to residential settings, we work across sectors to provide top quality electrical and lighting solutions. As a result, we have produced this guide to everything you should know about electrical fire risks, and how electrical fire risks can be reduced.
So, how can electrical fire risks be reduced?
Electrical fire risks are often caused by unsafe working practices, and by avoiding these you can reduce the risks associated with electrical fires These unsafe practices include:
- Overloading plugs, sockets, or fuses- By plugging too many electrical appliances in to the same outlet, you can seriously increase the risk of electrical fires. All plug sockets have a limit on how many amps it can safely handle, and exceeding this limit is extremely dangerous. If you don’t have enough sockets, you could think about having some more installed by a professional team.
- Not switching off all electrical equipment when it’s not in use- electrical equipment that is left switched on indefinitely is still equipment that is drawing power from the mains. Not only is this bad for your electricity bill, and the environment, it could also result in electrical fires. Use timer switches to switch off all plugs after working hours, and you wont need to worry about anyone forgetting to switch off.
- No electrical maintenance- PAT testing and other electrical maintenance jobs are essential to keep your appliances and fixtures running efficiently, and as expected. If you skip the electrical maintenance, you wont know which appliances need repair or attention, or which ones need to be replaced. As a result, you could be using faulty equipment for a long period of time, seriously increasing the fire risk.
For more information or advice, get in touch with the professionals today, here at Walker Electrical.