Safety in the home
It is important to maintain and always be careful around
electrical and gas appliances in your home. Following the simple
tips below could prevent a serious injury.
- Regularly clean electrical and gas appliances after use to
prevent a build-up of dust and dirt.
- Always turn appliances off at the wall before removing the
plug.
- Always use a registered electrical contractor (REC) to carry
out any changes to electrical wiring, and a licensed plumber for
gas maintenance. When in doubt about even the simplest tasks (ie.
changing a fuse), please contact a professional.
- When using a gas bottle for your BBQ or porch heater, always
remember to turn off supply at the bottle.
- Never overload a power point by "piggy-backing" appliances.
Invest in a power board with a built in safety switch, or have an
extra power point installed by a registered electrical contractor
(REC).
- When using extension leads, protect them from water or wet
ground, and ensure the lead is fully unwound to prevent
overheating.
- In winter, remember to turn electric blankets off at the power
point before getting into bed and to turn off heaters before
leaving the room or sleeping.
- Always keep heaters away from combustible materials such as
curtains, clothes and bedding.
- Never leave children unsupervised around heaters or BBQs.