Today, peak Australian electrical industry body, the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA), reminded residents across Australia to think about electrical safety and make it a priority during the winter months.
NECA chief executive officer, Mr James Tinslay, said the top electrical body is reminding residents across Australia to focus on safety during a period that traditionally sees more electrical appliances used in the home.
“Winter is the time of the year where Australians traditionally use more electrical appliances so it is important to keep safety a priority,” Mr Tinslay said.
“Many people would have pulled out heaters and electric blankets that haven’t seen the light of day since last winter. Heaters and electric blankets are like any other electrical appliance and can be damaged during storage.
“NECA and electricians across Australia urge anyone using old electrical appliances to make sure they do not have damaged plugs or wiring before turning them on. A quick visual inspection can help identify a fault.”
Electrical appliances that are faulty can only be repaired by someone with an appropriate licence and repairs should never be undertaken by members of the public. If a fault is identified, residents should dispose of the appliance or contact their local licensed electrician to determine if it can be repaired.
“There is a real risk if damaged electrical appliances are used so it is our strong advice that if a fault is identified to stop using it and either throw it away or get it fixed by a licensed repairer,” Mr Tinslay said.
NECA supports the installations of residual current devices (RCDs) also known as safety switches into all homes as an extra level of protection. It is compulsory for all new homes and homes that have had significant renovations to install RCDs but this means many older homes still don’t have them installed.
“A simple inspection by a licensed electrician could identify whether a home is at risk by having dangerous old wiring or the omission of a safety switch. Anyone concerned about the state of their wiring or need a safety switch installed should contact their local licensed electrician and discuss options to have this fixed,” Mr Tinslay said.
-ENDS-NECA is the peak industry body representing the interests of electrical and communications contractors Australia-wide.
For an inspection on the condition on the Electrical System including appliances, call Result Electrical today on 1300 810 860 or visit www.resultelectrical.com.au we service Blacktown, Parramatta, Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Pennant Hills, Carlingford, Epping, North Ryde, Lane Cove throughout the North Shore and Sydney Wide.