Amalia Electrical Services Ltd,

 

Paradise Cottage Crudwell MALMESBURY SN16 9ER

 

Mobile: 07974 711962

 

Email: info@amaliaelectricalservices.co.uk

 

 

Amalia Electrical  Services Ltd

 

for all electrical work in your home, garden & workplace

 

a local company covering Swindon & surrounding areas

To discuss your electrical requirements, please call James Nicholls on  07974 711962

Looking for a Part P qualified Electrician in Swindon?

No charge for estimates, no automatic call out fee

Faults in the electrical wiring systems of properties account for the majority of building fires (3048 in 2005 from electrical distribution). Electrical installations are the cause of around 1,000 accidents every year and 27 of these are fatal.

As a property owner, you are responsible for the overall safety of the electrical installations at your premises (e.g. fixed wiring). There is a need to manage the risks associated with both the fixed wiring and the use of portable electrical appliances

FIXED WIRING

Fixed wiring should be subject to inspection and testing by a competent person at least every 10 years, and more frequently if the conditions are extreme (e.g. if the wiring is subject to extremes of heat or humidity or the risk of physical damage is great). The two most common faults associated with the fixed wiring are:

Insulation failure

Electrical insulation protects the wire of cables and can fail for a variety of reasons. Modern wiring is insulated with durable PVC, but older rubber cables can become brittle with age and lead to insulation breakdown, resulting in short circuits and fires.

Insulation failure can lead to short circuits. These can lead to fires or make metal surfaces ‘live’ if they are not adequately earthed, possibly giving a fatal electric shock.

Damage can also be caused by vermin such as mice or rats who chew the insulation.

Overheating

Overheating occurs when installations are overloaded (e.g. the use of multi-adaptors or multi-socket extension leads).These can be used safely to connect several low power items, but they do lead to overloading.

If too many appliances are connected to an electrical circuit, excessive heat will be generated in the copper conductors. Excessive heat can lead to a breakdown of the insulation and a short circuit.

PORTABLE APPLIANCES

Portable appliances, together with extension cables, present a much greater risk of electric shock than of fire. Portable appliances should be subject to routine inspection e.g. daily checks by the user and less frequent inspection and testing by a competent person. In 2005, ‘Other electrical appliances’ caused 5444 fires.

The extent of inspection and testing required will depend upon the equipment and its use. A drill used in a factory or on a construction site will need more frequent inspections than static equipment such as photocopiers and computers.

There is clear guidance from the Health and Safety Executive on inspection programmes for portable appliances.

 

Archie giving a second opinion

Interesting information