Electrical Safety

Electrical safety is extremely important and it is essential that you know exactly what you are doing. If you do not know then you should employ a professional electrician! Accidents with mains voltage electricity can be fatal, it is in your own interests to ensure that you know exactly what you are doing before attempting any DIY electrical work.

 

All electrical pages are for information only! New rules have been introduced for electrical safety in the home, please read this document by clicking here, before starting any electrical work

 

Before working on any electrical circuit you must ensure that it is isolated correctly and cannot accidentally be switched back on. Please read the article on safe isolation procedures before doing any electrical work. If you are not 100% certain what you are doing call a qualified electrician. Building regulations are changing all the time and modifying your home electrics could be against new rules and could invalidate your home insurance, if in doubt check first!

 

IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT ABOUT ELECTRICITY, DO NOT TOUCH IT. CALL OUT A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN.

ELECTRICAL EMERGENCY

Electricity can KILL or cause serious burns easily.

Should you be unlucky enough to see a shock victim here is some advice-

  • Never touch directly a casualty who is still in contact with the faulty electrical equipment, If you do electricity will pass through you as well, giving you an electric shock!
  • Turn off the Electricity at the main switch Immediately.
  • If you do not know where it is or cannot isolate the Electricity from the casualty you can push or pull the casualty away from the source of the shock using something which is non conductive like a plastic broom handle or a piece of nylon rope.
  • DO NOT PUT YOURSELF AT RISK!
  • Call for an ambulance immediately by dialing 999 if the casualty has been unconscious or is burnt or unwell.

 

Neon screwdriver

 

Neon test screwdriver

Here are two different types of neon test screwdrivers, these are sold in most DIY shops.

This type of electrical test screwdriver is very unreliable and not recommended to test mains voltage electricity.

Under no circumstances should a screwdriver like this be used to prove that a circuit is dead before working on it. Please see safe isolation procedures

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