As the country gets to grips with tackling the Coronavirus, life as we know it is going to significantly change for a while. With people being encouraged to work from home and families self isolating if one person shows symptoms, there are plenty of guides out there designed to help you concentrate on your work and stop you from climbing the walls during this temporary confinement.
But while it’s a great idea to set up a work station, stick to normal office hours and take up a new hobby – it’s also a great idea to make sure that you stay safe while you’re doing all of this. Here are a few tips from Electrical Safety First to help you.
Charge Your Devices Safely
The Electrical Safety First team is working from home and we’re keeping in contact with each other through our laptops and mobiles. Whether you’re working or trying to keep the children entertained, as the batteries run down there’s going to be a lot of charging going on.
- Always charge your devices on a hard, flat surface. Never leave them on a bed, sofa or other flammable surface as they can overheat and cause a fire that could take hold very quickly and have devastating consequences.
- Use the right charger for the right product – that’s one provided by the manufacturer. Don’t be tempted to pick up a cheap spare online. They may not be compatible and often contain substandard or counterfeit parts.
- Don’t overload sockets. If you’re plugging more devices in than usual, use the Electrical Safety First’s socket calculator to make sure that you’re not putting yourself at risk. And don’t “daisy chain” adaptors (that means plugging one into another) – if you can’t reach the socket, move your workstation closer.
Most modern home are fitted with a sufficient number of plug sockets. However, a large percentage of the country are living in properties not designed for today’s numerous electrical devices. If you require additional sockets, we can safety install these for you. More information on this service is available here.
This article was kindly provided by Electrical Safety First, who are a campaigning charity that aims to reduce deaths and injuries caused by electricity in UK homes. More information on their charity is available via their website here.