Safety in numbers - the more safety switches the better
Did you know that if there is a dangerous electrical fault with the oven and your home is only fitted with one safety switch you or someone in your family could still receive a deadly electric shock? This goes for faults or damage to the air conditioner, lights, hot water system and pool equipment as well.
The Queensland Government has recently launched a campaign recommending property owners install safety switches on each circuit in the home to fully protect residents from potentially fatal electrical accidents.
The risk is real. One safety switch may not be enough.
The campaign tagline hopes to inform Queenslander's that having a single safety switch fitted only protects you if the electrical fault, appliance miss-use or electrical interference occurs with a power point, an appliance plugged into a power point or the associated wiring. Many home appliances, such as the oven and air conditioner, are fitted to individual electrical circuits, therefore not protected by the safety switch.
A safety switch will turn off the electricity within milliseconds when a current leak is detected from a defect in the wiring, appliance or power point. The switch also protects appliances and home wiring from a surge or lightning strike which can cause overheating, resulting in home electrical fires.
Play it safe in your home
Is your north Brisbane home fitted with more than one safety switch? Take a look at your switchboard today. What can you see? The safety switches will look a little different from a fuse or circuit breaker, they have a test button which will be marked 'Test' or just with a 'T'. This button allows you to test the switch to ensure it is working correctly. More info on how to test your safety switch read our blog post.
If you have a single safety switch in your switchboard that's fantastic, you're on the right path to protecting your home and family. The next step to full protection is to call a licenced electrician to fit switches to the remaining circuits.
Money saving tip - Get your electrician to fit all the switches at once to reduce call out fees.
Remember never use appliances which are showing visible signs of wear or damage such as worn cords, cracks or splits in the housing and burns or discolouration of the appliance. It's just not worth the risk.
