BBC News item 16 November 2011

Electrical safety ignorance 'puts millions at risk'

Millions of people in the UK risk death or injury because of their ignorance about household electricity, the Electrical Safety Council has said.

A survey of more than 2,000 people for the charity highlighted common risks.

It suggested people used faulty plugs or sockets and tried to mend devices which were still plugged in.
Each week on average, at least one person dies from household electrical accidents, and annually 350,000 people are injured, the ESC said.

"Even though we are using more electrical products than ever before, there is a worrying gap between the public's perception of electrical danger and the reality, with people making simple yet potentially fatal errors that can be easily prevented," said ESC director general Phil Buckle.

Speaking for Inventory-Portal Ltd, a supplier of Electrical Appliance Safety PAT Testing, Steve Bull says:-

“It just isn’t worth taking these risks!. With the large number of imported electrical appliances flooding into the UK via online suppliers, our reliance on factory production tests to guarantee safety of electrical appliances in our houses is no longer enough. Don’t take any risks with your family, employees or guests - get your electrical appliances checked by a competent professional”.

Inventory-Portal Ltd has City and Guilds qualified electrical appliance PAT testers ready to check appliances for businesses and home owners in Suffolk, Essex and Kent.  Call 07966 019551 for advice.