Given the shocking statistic that the London Fire Brigade attends an average of 24 fires every week that have been started by chargers, batteries and cables, we thought it would be helpful to give some simple advice which applies equally at home and in the workplace.
To help ensure you don’t fall victim to an avoidable electrical fire, it’s worth bearing the following in mind:
- Only use the original charger that was supplied with your phone, tablet, e-cigarette or mobile device.
- If the original fails and you need to buy a replacement, choose a branded product from a supplier that has an established reputation. Do your research as the market is flooded with imitations and it can often be tricky to identify which are genuine and which aren’t. Ultimately, remember that buying a fake charger might save you money but it could cost a life.
- Don’t store, use or charge batteries at very high or very low temperatures.
- Protect your batteries against damage, and in particular avoid crushing, puncturing or immersing them in water.
- Disconnect devices when they’re fully charged. One of the largest causes of electrical fires in the home is leaving your phone charging overnight, for example.
- Don’t cover chargers or charging devices such as laptop leads – especially in bed – as they may overheat and catch fire.
- Avoid overloading your sockets, as that will put too much strain on the fuses and power load.
At MS Electrical we specialise in keeping electrical safety in check by offering PAT testing and fixed wire testing in Cambridge. Should you have any concerns about your electrical safety please contact us for advice or to request a no-obligation quotation.