ESC says basic electrical blunders are risking lives

A new study from the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) finds that millions of people in the UK expose themselves and their families to potentially fatal accidents in the home through simple electrical blunders because of an alarming lack of knowledge about the real danger of electricity.

• At least one person in the UK dies each week from an electrical accident and nearly 1,000 are injured every day
• Complacency is leading to basic blunders, including repairing appliances whilst still plugged in
• People don’t know the danger of electricity, citing plane crashes and lightning strikes as similar concerns, despite fatalities due to electricity being drastically higher

The research from ESC reveals a dangerous level of ignorance about the perils of electricity in UK households. In the past year, almost one million people have repaired an appliance while it is still plugged in; despite the fact this can result in a fatal or serious injury. Other electrical ‘confessions’ included knowingly using faulty plugs or sockets (12.2 million people), ignoring burning smells coming from an appliance or socket (1.5 million people) and trailing cables near hot surfaces or cookers (2 million people) .

People are severely misjudging the risks involved with electricity. At least one person dies each week from its everyday use, while 350,000 people are injured annually.

More details on the survey at www.esc.org.uk