Businesses are exposing themselves to serious consequences, both legal and potentially personnel-related, if they do not adhere to government enforced safety measures, according to one industry expert.

Phil Bates, senior policy and technical adviser at charity and non-governmental organisation the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (Iosh), warned that safety guidelines apply to staff at all levels of a corporation as well as the installation of appliances, fittings and goods.

"As with all job roles and duties, staff should be trained to the appropriate and necessary level of competency, so they fully understand the hazards they may come across in their day-to-day role," he said. "Staff must also be aware of control procedures, how to implement them and what to do if things go wrong."

And the expert went on to note that businesses can face fines or charges if health and safety measures are not met and an incident occurs at your place of work.

"There are a number of serious consequences for those businesses that don't meet safety standards," said Mr Bates. "Not only could a lack of health and safety standards lead to an increase in accidents, but employers would see more lost production time and even their reputation damaged.

"If you do not comply with health and safety laws then you may face enforcement action. This can be costly especially with the implementation of the fees for intervention from the Health and Safety Executive."

Electrical injuries account for around 30 deaths a year both at home and in the workplace, with faulty wiring, misinstalled appliances and power surges being responsible for the majority of them.

However, with around 2.5 million householders receiving electric shocks each year - 350,000 of whom incur a serious injury as a result - electrical guidelines have to be met when installing anything from LED lighting to a dishwasher.

If you're not sure about the safety guidelines involved in any electrical job you're thinking of embarking on, be sure to get an expert in to help.