Measures that need to be taken to ensure children are safe around electrics in the home - Paul Collins
From the moment we wake up in the morning right through until we go to sleep at night, we’re in constant contact with electricity and importantly from a safety point of view, so are our children. Therefore, it’s incredibly important that the electrics in their home setting are safe and compliant.
As the technical director at the UK’s leading certification body for the electrical industry, I always recommend that any form of electrical work is managed and delivered by a qualified, certified professional business, such as those listed with NICEIC.
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Hide AdThere are, however, some measures that can be taken by homeowners to ensure electrical safety in the home including regularly checking electrical cords, light switches, plugs and socket-outlets to confirm that they are in good working order.


Education is one of the most important tools we have when it comes to electricity. Teaching children from an early age that electricity can be dangerous and has the potential to cause serious injury is vital to building their understanding of the dangers. Children should continue to be reminded of the importance of not putting items into socket-outlets and should be supervised when using a device connected to the ‘mains’.
For parents and guardians, it’s crucial that they are seen to be promoting good electrical safety in the home by their children. Demonstrating a clear awareness of the dangers of electricity will help them to understand the importance of staying safe. It’s also vital that regular checks are completed in the home to ensure that electrical cords are kept out of reach and that any damaged or frayed leads are replaced.
It is also important to avoid overloading socket-outlets with the use of extension leads. Whilst extension leads can be used safely, only one extension lead per socket-outlet should ever be used. An extension lead should never be plugged into another extension lead, and I’d advise that if more outlets are required, homeowners should consider having additional socket-outlets installed by a certified business.
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Hide AdThere are also many risks in the garden. Garden lighting, hot tubs, lawnmowers and other gardening equipment all present their own risks and are often used around children. I’d always recommend that any electrical equipment is purchased from a reputable stockist and installed correctly as per the instructions. If ever there is any doubt, always consult a NICEIC-certified business rather than looking to rectify the issue yourself due to the dangers of incorrectly installed electrics. This is why we launched our ‘Don’t DIY’ campaign last year to raise awareness of the importance of only using a NICEIC-certified business when looking to undertake electrical work.
There’s plenty of advice available online including our website, niceic.com, where homeowners can find a trusted tradesperson and guidance. Electrical Safety First’s (ESF) website (electricialsafetyfirst.org.uk), is also a good resource
Ultimately, we want to reduce the risk of any accidents happening. Educating children from an early age, practising good electrical safety and using NICEIC-certified businesses for any required work around the home, play a big part in minimising risk and, crucially, keeping families safe.
Paul Collins is technical director at NICEIC.
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