Electrical appliance fire safety

Electrical appliances, plugs and cables that are old or poorly wired can be a real danger. Just because there’s no flame does not mean there’s no fire risk. Find out what to check for to ensure your appliances don’t put you, your family or housemates at risk from fire.

What to check for on your electrical appliances

There are particular danger signs to look out for on all electrical items you have around your home. If you think something needs fixing or changing, do it straight away.

For plugs and sockets, keep an eye out for the following:

• hot plugs or sockets, scorch marks, fuses that often blow, or flickering lights - they are all are signs of loose wiring or other electrical problems
• badly wired plugs – any coloured wires sticking out could come loose and debris could also get into the plug
• overloaded sockets – plugging too many electrical appliances into one socket can lead to overheating