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29 March 2024

Make your home summer safe

(SUPPLIED)

Published
By David Tusing

As the heat outside rises, experts are reiterating the importance of safe electrical practices inside. Summer time, they say, is when the number of fire incidents rises dramatically across the UAE. And many of them are costly yet avoidable mistakes.

"Many of these incidents can be attributed to ignorance surrounding electrical safety," says Sonjib Banerjee, the technical director of Duval Messien, a company specialising in earthing systems.

"People tend to commit simple mistakes due to casual attitude or ignorance to electrical sparks, faulty connections and the overloading of plug sockets that can lead to big accidents."

Banerjee's company has recently partnered with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) and consumer electronics retailer Eros Group to begin a "Safe Home campaign", a mission to educate homeowners across the Emirates of the possible consequence of ignorance surrounding electrical safety.

"The aim of the campaign is to educate the public on what to look out for avoid any unnecessary repair costs or accidents," he says. "It is not uncommon for earthing pits to dry up in less than three months due to high summer temperatures. During these months, older residential neighbourhoods with high density living are most at risk as a single spark can spread rapidly and cause significant damage to assets and livestock."

Through 'Safe Home Zones' set up at select Dewa centres and Eros Digital Home stores, kiosks will display safety information and collect information which Duval Messien will use to develop a fully integrated plan for safety in the home, says Banerjee.

The expert shares his home safety tips for Emirates Business readers.



10 Vital Electrical Safety Tips To Follow


1 Check all wall plugs and connections: Before you set off on your holidays, check the health of switches, plugs and connections. If there is overheating, a burning smell or shocking, seek help from a qualified electrician.


2 Replace damaged components: Replace cracked, frayed, loose or bare wires and loose connections as they can cause a serious electrical shock/ spark, which can result in fire. Don't tie or knot electrical cords. Don't let furniture and carpets sit on cords.


3 Some electrical switches are not operated throughout the year, such as ovens, refrigerators and washing machines. Do a mandatory check of these connections. Ensure there is no overheating.


4 It is good to know about the earthing of your building. The earth pits of your building are the drain in the event of any electrical fault. Tell your electrician to measure the pit resistance and take necessary action to maintain low resistivity following local regulations. People living in villas must call certified electricians to check the pits periodically. Buying well-known branded appliances is not sufficient to ensure good protection against electrical faults. Before installing new appliances, residents should ensure the circuit breaker (MCB) is of suitable capacity and the electrical circuit is connected to a proper earthing system.


5 Stop overloading connections: It's time to check whether plug sockets or extension points are over loaded or not. Remove extendable connections as far as possible. Especially in the kitchens and living rooms, do not overload too many electronic appliances on one socket. Match plugs with outlets. Don't force a three-pronged plug into a two-pronged outlet or extension cord.


6 Keep appliances dry and away from water at all times. Keep cosmetic appliances that are used in the bathroom in a safe place. As a mandatory step, ensure that you turn off all water points before leaving.


7 Covering your electrical outlets: All electrical outlets and switches should be covered by "faceplates". This can stop insects entering and breeding inside your electrical circuitry. With this you also ensure that children in the house are safe. Flickering or dimming lights and monitors, sparks from appliances or outlets, and wall plates, plugs or cords that are warm to the touch are signals of potential danger spots that could cause big losses.


8 Unplug all appliances including kitchen equipment such as toasters, ovens and coffee-makers before leaving for a holiday. Unplug TV decoder cables for protection against lightning strike/ surges.


9 In villas, make sure you enclose all external sockets and electrical equipment in waterproof cases.


10 Make sure all switches are flicked to the off position, including the main switch when you leave your house/apartment for a vacation. This can protect the electrical circuitry of your apartment from external faults/surges.

 

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