As the festive season approaches, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is supporting Electrical Fire Safety Week by offering practical advice and encouraging responsible habits when using electrical items either at home or in the workplace.
Over half of all accidental house fires are caused by electricity. And nine out of ten electrical fires are caused by electrical products.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service will be encouraging members of the public to consider their choices carefully before purchasing e-bikes, e-scooters or batteries, promoting safe battery disposal, and emphasising key electrical fire safety messages ahead of the Christmas period.
Electrical Fire Safety tips this Christmas:
- Never use heaters to dry clothes. Families worried about their energy bills may turn to electric heaters this winter. Heaters can start fires when things are placed too close to them. Keep them well away from decorations, curtains, clothing, and furniture.
- Don’t overload sockets. Ensure only one plug per socket. Always turn off plugs when they are not in use, except those that are designed to be left on, like freezers.
- Ensure you switch off fairy lights and unplug them before you go to bed or leave the house. Check your Christmas tree lights conform to the British Standard (BS EN 60598) and are in good working order before use.
- Always use an RCD (residual current device) on outdoor electrical equipment, including Christmas lights and decorations. This safety device can save lives by instantly switching off the power if there is a fault and can be found in any DIY store.
- Ensure you have working smoke alarms installed on all levels of your home. Working alarms can give you the vital time needed to escape in a fire. Test your smoke alarms regularly.
- Make sure everyone in your home knows what to do in a fire – in the event of fire you should get out, stay out and call 999
Prize Draw - make a pledge to be #BatterySafe by subscribing to our newsletter!
During Electrical Fire Safety Week East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service will be promoting responsible battery disposal, especially during the festive season when electronic devices and toys are in high demand.
Remember – binned batteries can cause fires so it is really important to recycle them properly.
As part of the week we will be encouraging members of the public to be #BatterySafe and sign up to our newsletter at https://t.ly/oMEUR.
Not only will subscribers stay informed, but this will represent a pledge to recycle batteries properly. There will be an added bonus of being entered into our prize draw to win a £25 gift voucher for either B&Q, John Lewis or Currys, retailers known for recycling old electricals and batteries.
Both new and existing subscribers will automatically be entered into the draw.
Full T&Cs can be found here:
Further information on safe disposal of batteries can be found here: Battery Disposal | East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (esfrs.org)
NFCC backs Safety Bill to regulate e-bike and e-scooter batteries
The National Fire Chiefs Council have backed Electrical Safety First's proposal to regulate e-bike and e-scooter batteries, requiring third-party approval before sale.
There have been a number of serious and fatal fires nationally linked to these items, prompting the call for legislation with stricter safety measures, including warnings on lithium-ion batteries. Currently, these batteries can be sold with only the manufacturer's declaration, but the proposed bill aims to address this gap and mitigate the increasing number of fires and injuries associated with them. Find out more here: Support the bill | Electrical Safety First
With the increasing popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters and the possibility of people gifting these for Christmas, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is issuing warnings and safety tips to users, emphasising the importance of checking for damage, proper charging and safe storage.
Find out more here: Guide to Fire Safety for E-bikes and E-scooters | East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (esfrs.org)
More advice
For more advice on protecting yourselves from electrical fires visit:
Electrical Fire Safety | East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (esfrs.org)