Electrical Safety

SAFETY TIPS FOR USE OF ELECTRIC APPLIANCES

• Our homes are filled with things that run on electricity. They should be handled with care because they pose potential electrical hazards. Keep electrical hazards away from your home by safely handling electric appliances. The following safety precautions will help you eliminate electrical hazards to protect your family while using electrical appliances.
• Buy correctly rated equipment. The domestic supply here is 240 volts, 50 Hz. single-phase. Anything else is incorrect.
• If you must buy 110-volt equipment, make sure it is supplied with a three-pin plug for use on earthed systems, and use the correct transformer. Never cut off the earth terminal.
• Always follow appliance instructions carefully, and do not attempt amateur repairs or upgrades.
• If an appliance emits smoke or sparks, or if you feel a tingle or light shock when it's on, stop using it. Discard or replace the appliance, or have it repaired.
• Never ever use a domestic power supply for electric arc welding purposes. It may be unsafe, could damage your wiring, and will certainly damage sensitive electrical equipment.
• Routinely check your appliances and wiring.
• Dust is a major cause of failure in electrical equipment. Your appliances must be cleaned from time to time by a professional technician.
• Unplug any equipment with frayed, damaged or broken cords at once, and do not plug it back in until you have replaced those cords. Never attempt to patch a frayed cord back together---especially if that cord will be outside in the elements.
• If you have a computer at home, it is essential you also have a power protector. Forget the cheap kind; they're useless. Get one with a telephone connector too, if you regularly use the Internet.
• Christmas mini lights are cheap and not normally repairable. Don't take chances with fires or electric shock. Buy a new set every year.
• Never plug too many appliances into the same outlet. Most plug adapters are unsafe and are not recommended.
• Keep cords clean to prevent insulation from deteriorating.
• Never run cords under rugs. It conceals damage and can cause the cord to overheat and become a fire hazard.
• Air conditioners must be professionally sized for the room you want to cool. Too small and you overwork the unit; too large and you waste electricity.
• Lightning is the biggest danger to electrical appliances. When you see a lightning storm, unplug all electrical appliances. Turning the outlet switch off is not enough.

Wiring, plugs, fuses and the panel.

• Ensure your home is properly grounded; if in doubt, hire a qualified electrician to check.
• Always remember to dry your hands before handling plugs or switches.
• Train children to respect electricity. Plastic outlet guards are a must for their protection.
• Never substitute the fuse in your panel with ordinary wire or anything else. This can cause a fire and can even be deadly.
• Only proper plugs must be inserted into sockets. Avoid using loose wires, a child may be watching!
• Never break off an earth pin to fit a plug into a different socket.
• Make sure you know the wattage of your appliances. Never plug too much equipment into the same outlet, as this poses a serious fire risk. Two or three plugs is the maximum; have additional sockets fitted. Too many electrical appliances on the same circuit can lead to overloading which leads to overheating and may consequently lead to an electrical fire.
• Extension cords are for temporary use.
• Only use tools that are properly insulated and carry essential marks of safety and integrity compliance: British Standard Kite mark (BSI) the American Underwriters Limited mark (UL) or the European IEC approval on any electrical equipment.
• Never drill holes into walls unless you are absolutely certain of the location of buried electrical wires.

Kettles, irons, toasters and the TV set.

• Do not clean appliances while they are still plugged in.
• Unplug electric kettles before filling and ensure that the element is covered with water.
• Never open the back of your TV set if you are not qualified to do so. There are high voltages inside that can cause severe shock.
• Turn off electric irons when not in use.
• Never insert a metal object into a toaster without first disconnecting the appliance.
• Do not drag appliances by the cord, or pull the cord to remove plugs from the sockets.
• Never switch an electrical item off by pulling the cord out of the outlet. This will damage the equipment or could cause a fire.

Poles, lines, substations and meters are not customer equipment.

• Never take a lead from your house to serve your neighbor; tangled lines are illegal, dangerous and can interfere with the electrical system.
• Stay away from substations and transformers.
• By tampering with our meters, you are damaging company property and increasing the risk of a fatal injury to you or someone else.
• Never climb power poles and transmission towers.
• Keep your children from flying kites near power lines. It can be dangerous; tangled lines can also interfere with the power.
• Keep antennas and ladders away from power lines.

Tell us before you cut. We can lower the line for you.

• When you need to cut large trees near power lines, please inform us. We can assist by lowering the lines so that the danger to life and property is reduced.

A large change in load affects more than your own house.

• Advise LUCELEC if you are anticipating a dramatic increase in consumption. Overloading the system may result in problems for you, your neighbours and the rest of the country.