It is very easy to take electricity for granted. For many of us, the invisible force that lights our homes, helps us cook our meals and powers our computers and home appliances is only ever noticed when it is not there. A power outage, for example, underlines the true impact that electricity has on our lives. The same could be said of electrical hazards -- it is often not until we hear or read about the dangers of electricity, or experience for ourselves an electric shock, burn or even a fire caused by faulty electrical equipment or wiring, that we become appreciative of just how harmful electricity can be.
Faulty wiring kills
In Britain around 10 people die each year and approximately 750 are injured, some badly so, when they come into contact with faulty wiring in the home. Newspaper archives reveal their stories. Some have suffered severe burns; others have had limbs removed to save their lives - and these are the lucky ones. Baroness Tonge, former MP for Richmond Park in London, lost her daughter, Mary Wherry, when she was electrocuted by a metal plate rack fixed to the wall. The rack was in contact with unsafe wiring in the wall, rendering the rack live. Electricity really does not discriminate.
First Aid
Should you be first on the scene to someone who has received an electric shock, great care must be taken in administering first aid. If the injured person is still in contact with the electric current they could be 'live', and could pass that current through to you if you touch them. Your priority then is to make the situation as safe as possible before helping the victim.
First, if it is safe to do so, turn off the power at the mains. Next, separate the injured person from the faulty appliance using a non-conductive item, such as a wooden broom handle. This is important as even in situations where the power is off there could be enough residual current in the injured person's body to shock you.
Once you are confident that there is no further danger to you, check the victim for life signs and call for an ambulance. If the victim is not breathing, start resuscitation. Should the person be conscious keep them calm and attend to injuries where possible. For burns, look to cool them with water -- NEVER use ointments or oils on the burns. Stay at the scene with the victim until the ambulance crew arrive and explain to them what happened. The ambulance crew will do the rest, whilst you should then start praying for the injured.
Preventative measures
Electric shocks arising from faulty equipment and wiring are largely preventable. To reduce the risk in your home all you need do is schedule an inspection of your electrical installations by a NICEIC registered electrician. The electrician will inspect all electrical fittings and circuit wiring in your property to ensure it is safe. They will produce a report, known as a "Periodic Inspection Report for an Electrical Installation" or NICEIC Certificate in short, which will detail the results of their findings. If an electrical installation is found to be unsafe the electrician will notify you of the problem and provide you with an estimate to correct the fault.
For fault correction (and new electrical work) in your property you are now required by law to use a competent person or firm approved by the government under Part-P of the Buildings Regulations. By opting to use a suitably qualified contractor who is registered with the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) you'll comply with these requirements. It'll afford you peace of mind too -- NICEIC registered electricians guarantee that their work meets approved industry standards and they'll provide you with up to a six-year - and in case of new-build, up to a ten year - warranty as well. What more could you ask for?
NICEIC inspections are available to homeowners and landlords alike. However, whereas homeowners can decide for themselves whether or not to check their electrical installations, landlords have a duty to ensure the safety of their tenants, and so must carry out periodic checks. This is normally done whenever there is a change of tenant, the reason being that the departing tenant may have altered, installed or damaged electrical installations without notifying the landlord, or even worse, commissioned unqualified workers to carry out those alterations. Periodic NICEIC inspections help landlords comply with the law here, keeping tenants safe from potentially dangerous electrics that might be present in the property.
