Electricity must be treated with respect: lack of knowledge and carelessness lead to danger. Most domestic electrical work can be carried out safely and correctly but always keep to the rules and put safety first.
- When electrical appliances are not in use during the day and at night, they should be switched off completely and the plug removed from the socket.
- Always turn off the electrical supply at the main switch before starting work. You don't have to deprive the whole house of power; turn off the main switch at the consumer unit, and remove the fuse controlling the circuit on which you are working, then restore the supply. Remember to put the fuse in a safe place.
- Pull out the plug of an electrical appliance before undertaking any adjustments or repairs, or when you have to change blades or bits on power tools.
- Turn off the light switch when you replace a blown-out light bulb.
- Electrical cables and flexes should never be knotted. Ideally they should be unwound and laid flat to their entire length.
- If you suspect that an appliance is damaged, take it out of service.
- Never attempt electrical work beyond your knowledge or capabilities. If you are in any doubt at all, hire a qualified electrician.
- Check you have really isolated any electrical equipment you are working on by testing with a neon test screwdriver.
- Periodically inspect the flexes on household appliances such as irons. Never patch up a length of worn flex: always replace it with the correct type and size.
- Never overload sockets with adapters and too many extra plugs and never 'hot wire' equipment by poking wires directly into the sockets.
- Always follow the correct codes when wiring circuits. Flexible cables are colour coded Brown – Live (L); Blue – Neutral (N); Green/Yellow – Earth (E). Fixed cables are colour coded Red – Live; Black – Neutral; Yellow and green – Earth.
- Wear rubber-soled shoes when you work on an electrical installation.
- Any significant rewiring – especially new circuits – must be tested by a competent and qualified electrician. When 'new builds' and 'self build' houses apply for connection to the mains supply, they have to submit a certificate to the electricity board confirming that the wiring complies with the Wiring Regulations. For a small fee, your local electricity board will test DIY wiring at the time of connection. Never attempt to make connections to the meter or Board's earth terminal yourself.
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