Nearly half of all electric shocks in the UK are caused by poor DIY jobs as too many people are trying out online tutorials via google and YouTube. The reason they are so popular is because most home owners feel that they can tackle these jobs themselves without having to call in a professional.

There are three DIY fails that are most common these are cutting through power leads, repairing electrical items that are still switched on and drilling through wiring behind walls. Some people think that this will never happen to me but the fact is if you attempt a DIY task that you have never done before chances are you will find yourself having an electrical related accident.

The best way to avoid electrical problems is to seek advice from a qualified electrician or joiner as they will be able to finish the job safely and securely for you.

Here are a few tips to help keep you safe if you are still confident to tackle DIY jobs:

If you are planning to put up shelves or a task that requires you screwing things into the walls make sure you can locate exactly where cables are! A good way that you can do this is by purchasing a cable detectorthat can track the buried cables so that you won’t get a shock.

A simple thing that you can do in a matter of minutes is to turn of the power in your fuse box and use tools that just require batteries. To double check that the power is off plug in an electrical appliance or switch the lights on just to be sure.

Many people know little about RCD’s (residual current device) but these devices can save your life as they cut the power off if there is an electrical fault. Make sure you check that there is one fitted and your best bet of finding it is in the fuse box. If there isn’t one there you can use a plug in RCD that will do the same job.

Before you use power tools check them over to see if they are not damaged in any way, pay particular attention to the lead and the plug. If you do spot some signs of wear and tear get the equipment repaired before you use it. Also pay particular attention to the power lead as many people tend to forget about them and as a result either trip over them or accidentally cut through them.