Electrical hazards can lead to extremely dangerous injuries and, in some cases, fatal accidents. If you deal with electrical work or just want to conduct a quick repair in your home, there are several important factors to keep in mind. 

Learning about electrical safety hazards will keep you safe and ensure no harm to your electrical systems. Read along to learn more about common electrical safety hazards and how to avoid them. 

What Is Electrical Safety?

Electrical safety is the general practice of safely handling electrical wiring and equipment. 

Electricians or other professionals in this field often use these guidelines, but it’s also important for everyone to be aware of these hazards. 

In our daily life, we are always exposed to electronic items. In today’s modern world, we are always dealing with one electronic or another, so it’s important to keep safe and cautious at all times. 

Electrical safety guidelines are important because they tell you exactly what to do in case of a hazardous situation. If you don’t follow these rules, you can seriously injure yourself or, worse, deal with a potentially fatal accident. 

Important To Keep In Mind

Even though we deal with electronics daily, our risk hazards are still relatively smaller compared to people actively working with dangerous electrical systems.

Electricians who regularly deal with these situations are often equipped to handle electrical hazards. They can correctly identify potential hazards and take measures to de-escalate the situation. 

But, lack of experience, inadequate training and inability to recognise potential hazards could lead to electrocution or death. 

If you work in a warehouse or operate one, it is important to make yourself and your employees familiar with electrical safety standards. 

In a warehouse or industrial setting, people come into direct contact with electrical machinery, power lines etc. 

So how do you avoid running into any hazards? Hold regular training programs and always provide proper and clear guidelines to make sure everyone stays safe. 

What Are The Common Causes Of Electrical Hazards?

You can come into contact with an electrical hazard in a variety of ways. 

Here’s a look at some of the most common causes of electrical hazards. This list will give you an idea of what to look for and how to avoid it. 

• Faulty or damaged wiring
• Damaged equipment
• Using poor-quality connections and fittings
• Loose connections
• Working with live equipment
• Using an electrical component with the incorrect voltage
• Overloading power outlets and equipment
• Handling electrical devices without training or awareness
• Not using the right gear for electrical equipment
• Lack of earthing/grounding and bonding
• Keeping your electrical system unorganised and in poor condition
• Lack of knowledge about your switchboard

Faulty Or Damaged Wiring

Damaged or faulty wiring leads to serious residential and commercial electrical safety risks. These wires are capable of causing both electrocution and electrical fires. 

In more dangerous situations, they can even cause a fatal accident. Always check your electrical wiring and extension cords for any signs of fraying and cracking. 

Most wiring tends to last 50 years in an ideal condition, but this lifespan can significantly reduce over time. Also, remember to never staple your wiring to make it look organised, as this can damage the insulation sheathing. 

For this same reason, you should never run wiring under the carpet either. If your cables become damaged after use, repair or replace them immediately. 

Damaged Equipment

Just as faulty wiring can lead to dangerous situations, so can damaged equipment. This doesn’t necessarily have to be electrical equipment but anything that will put you in direct contact with electricity. 

Static electricity from damaged equipment can create flammable vapours or dust, which can cause serious health issues. 

Using Poor Quality Fittings And Connections

Poor quality fittings and connections are often not made according to safety regulations. This can lead to explosions, electrical fires and electrocution. 

Apart from this, your electrical system could also sustain serious damage that would need a lot of time and effort to repair. 

Loose Connections

Most people often don’t give too much thought to loose connections, but they can cause electrical fires and shocks and even become deadly. 

Outlets, cords, and plugs should always be carefully installed and maintained to ensure they don’t lead to hazardous situations. Over time, using sockets and plugs can wear down the connection between plug pins and contacts of the socket. 

These are often called power points. This loose connection can lead to arching, which can cause an electrical fire. Always keep an eye on sockets and plugs in your home as they age. 

If your home is older, you should pay special attention as these electrical systems are not designed for the multiple electrical devices we use today. If you spot a loose connection, immediately contact a qualified professional.  

Working With Live Equipment

Some electricians often work with live equipment, which means these devices are energised with electricity. This is an unsafe practice which can lead to burns, shocks and even fatalities. 

If you’re an electrician with or near energised equipment, maintain safety. Make sure that power is switched off before starting the work process. 

Using Electrical Equipment With Incorrect Voltage

Using an electrical device with the wrong voltage can not only cause your harm but also your device.

If the device has a higher voltage but the right amount of current, the device itself will probably shut off when it detects a high voltage. If it doesn’t shut off, it will become hot to touch during operation. 

This can easily reduce the lifespan of your device or lead to immediate danger. Always check the voltage requirement of the outlet before plugging in a device. 

Overloading Power Outlets And Equipment

Overloading is another electrical hazard that can damage your equipment and create serious problems.  To ensure the safety of yourself and your equipment, always check for signs of overloading. 

Check if the sockets and devices are cool to the touch and in proper working conditions. You can also add protective faceplates on outlets for better security. Also, avoid using products with the wrong voltage, which can cause overloading. 

Handling Electrical Devices Without Training Or Awareness

Avoid handling wires, cables or any electrical without training or knowledge. You could end up in danger if you don’t know anything about these components. 

Electrical devices perform complicated processes that require a lot of intricate knowledge. If you run into a problem with one of your devices, don’t attempt a DIY process; instead, call a qualified professional to help fix the matter. 

Not Using The Right Gear

If you’re going to handle electrical equipment, practice safety first. Make sure you have all the necessary safety gear when working with or around an electrical device or system. 

Some important safety items include insulated gloves, a face shield, goggles, a hard hat etc. In some cases, you might need specialised gear depending on what you’re working on. 

Lack Of Earthing, Grounding And Bonding

Any electrical safety guidelines you read will emphasise earthing, grounding and bonding. These processes are important as they prevent hazardous electrical situations. 

Earthing is an important requirement in an electrical system as it protects against electric shocks. In the UK, you should use the green and yellow wire to carry out this process. 

Generally, electrical energy always takes the shortest pathway to flow from the fault to the ground. 

If a circuit system doesn’t have earthing and a fault occurs, the metal body of the appliance can become live. For example, if you turn on a faulty switch, it could become live and electrocute you. 

If a fault occurs in a properly earthed system, the electric current will travel through the earth wire to the ground. This will trigger the circuit breaker in the fuse box to shut off the power supply immediately. 

Bonding refers to a connection between all metal components and the earth circuit. 

Let’s say you touch a faulty hardwired appliance and then touch a metal tap on your sink; you would become the earth pathway and receive a life-threatening electric shock. 

The lack of bonding will create a chain effect that causes your home's all metal components, including metal water pipes, to carry live electrical energy. With this in mind, you must carry out a proper bonding in your circuit system. 

Keeping Your Electrical System In Poor Condition

Always keep your electrical devices and systems in good working condition. This means keeping away any object or element that harms its working process. 

Keep the area around your electrical devices dry at all times to avoid electrocution. Also, make sure to dust around the equipment to prevent build-up and clogging. 

As we’ve mentioned before, stapling is not a great way to organise your wiring. Instead, you can buy specialised clips that keep your wires in place. 

Lack Of Knowledge About Your Switchboard

Getting familiar with your electrical switchboard can help you avoid hazardous situations. A switchboard acts as an electrical safety device that isolates and protects you from electrical currents. 

This device controls the flow of energy by distributing, dividing and metering electrical power to various devices and appliances. 

To ensure safety and good performance, the energy entering the switchboard should match the power it distributes. If the power is too high, it can lead to overheating and electric fires. 

How To Maintain Your Electrical System?

Another great way to avoid electrical hazards includes maintaining your electrical system. In electrical system maintenance, you would typically inspect, test and repair any electrical component as required. 

Doing so will ensure that there is an accidental power cut or an electrical fire. This process can be done in a household, an office or a business space. 

Since these areas are always occupied by people, you must conduct maintenance to ensure everyone’s safety. 

Electrical maintenance also helps you cut down on costs in the long run. After all, if you take care of your equipment, there will be no need to buy expensive replacement parts. 

This maintenance process is often conducted by an electrician or maintenance personnel who understands the necessary steps. 

In some situations, you can carry out maintenance yourself, but you must have proper knowledge about the process. 

Otherwise, you can end up injuring yourself and damaging the system. Your electrician will follow an electrical maintenance checklist to perform the inspection in the right order. 

During this time, anybody in the maintenance area should follow electrical safety rules to avoid accidents. These steps highlight the basis of electrical system maintenance. 

Electrical systems are a necessary part of our daily lives, from appliances to switches and sockets. So make sure to take regular care of these systems and avoid hazardous situations.  

If you want to conduct proper maintenance of your system, here are some important tips you can follow. 

Get The Right Wiring

The best way of maintaining the system is by getting the right type of wiring. Incompatible wiring can lead to several problems in the future. 

Never use regular electrical cables and equipment outdoors, especially if they aren’t approved for this environment. 

Indoor electrical wiring and system are not designed to withstand harsh outdoor elements. Using them outside their appropriate setting could lead to hazards.  

Replace Fuses When Needed

If you frequently experience this problem, there might be an issue with your electrical system. If you don’t treat this quickly, it could lead to expensive damages in the future. Contact a professional electrician to safely handle this component. 

Get Rid Of Frayed Wiring

If any wiring in your electrical system or appliance has become frayed, it is best to just replace them entirely instead of making repairs. 

These types of wires can easily lead to electrical fires. Replacing them completely will ensure they don’t become a hazard in the future.  

Never Force Plugs

If your plug doesn’t fit into the socket, avoid forcing it in any way. Even a slight adjustment to force the plug in will ruin your socket. 

Also, you will end up damaging your device. So, make sure to only buy the appropriate plug for your socket. 

Never Overload Systems

As we’ve emphasised before, overloading is a major electrical safety hazard. 

Often the main cause of all your home electrical issues is overloading. To prevent this issue, start by understanding how much power your sockets provide. 

All electronic devices and appliances take a different level of power. So if you plug a high-voltage appliance into a low-voltage socket, you can create serious damage to your electrical system. 

Childproof Your Appliances

Investing in childproofing is a must if you have any children at home. Always take necessary precautions to ensure young children never come into contact with your electrical sockets and systems. You can add simple covers to these systems to avoid potential hazards. 

Upgrade Your Sockets And Systems

Make sure to upgrade your plugs or sockets when needed. Sticking with one system way past its lifespan can end up damaging your electrical system. 

Even if the socket becomes loose from its place, you must upgrade them to something more efficient. 

Understand Electrical Capacity

Different electrical systems have their own electrical capacity. The best indicator is how new or old the system is. 

In most older homes, the electrical system will have a lower capacity. However, modern appliances and electronic systems are designed with a higher capacity, so they need more power. 

As we’ve said, high capacity appliances can overload and damage your system. If you live in an older home, you might need to upgrade your electrical system to avoid future damage. 

What Are Emergency Light Fittings?

In case of a power trip or any other electrical hazards, you must install emergency lights to de-escalate the situation. Emergency light fittings are an essential part of fire safety provision in any building, and you should not avoid the use of these light fittings. 

Emergency light fittings act as a backup light source for your building's lights. Emergency light fittings are an essential piece of equipment during power cuts. They act as a power source during power cuts or allows your light fittings to keep operating in emergencies. 

If there is a need for evacuation, emergency light fittings will light up a safe pathway for occupants.  

Apart from buildings, you should also use emergency lights for homes. Installing emergency lights for homes is important to maintain your property’s safety. 

Emergency lights for homes with light-up exit pathways in case of a power cut and emergency lights for homes will help you make quicker evacuations in the event of a fire. Therefore it is necessary for you to install emergency lights in homes. 

Emergency luminaries were deemed necessary in all buildings by the Industry Committee for Emergency Lighting (ICEL). Therefore if you own an operation building in the UK, you must use emergency light fittings.

At Meteor Electrical, you can find a wide range of emergency lighting products and types of equipment. From maintained emergency lights to non maintained emergency lights. You can also find several LED emergency lights. 

Stay Safe With Meteor 

If you’re looking for high-quality electrical components that ensure your safety, visit Meteor Electrical. From switches and sockets to excellent cabling, we carry every product to fit all your electrical needs. 

We only carry products that fit the highest safety standard to ensure your security and convenience. Made with the highest quality materials, you can enjoy your electronics with peace of mind.