Bedroom electricity safety

Consider these suggestions to avoid electrical hazards in your bedrooms: 

• Check the leads and plugs of the electrical appliances on the bedside tables, including lamps, chargers and electric alarm clocks. If you notice any damage, such as burn marks or loose connections, repair or replace them immediately. Do you really use these appliances on a regular basis? If not, consider removing them to reduce the risks in your bedroom.  

• The wattage of the bulbs in your ceiling and wall lights, and your table lamps should not exceed the maximum wattage of the fixture. Exceeding this limit may cause overheating, a common cause of household fire accidents. 

• Switch off and unplug the chargers of your mobile phone and other standby devices when not in use. 

• Pay particular attention to electric blankets. Buy a good quality one that is appropriately certified. Read and follow its instructions booklet carefully before using it for the first time. It is recommended that you switch off and unplug your electric blanket before you get to bed. 

• Regularly check electric blankets for fraying fabric, burn marks, exposed elements, stains or damp patches, damaged leads or switches. If in doubt, seek advice from a certified electrician or technician, or replace them. If the bed gets wet, remove the electric blanket immediately and ask a certified technician to test it before re-using it.   

• Do not connect multi-plug adaptors on other adaptors or extension leads as this may lead to overloading and cause fires. If you need additional sockets for a long period of time, consider adding new permanent ones to your existing installation. 

• Do not leave the leads of electrical appliances lying around on the floor to avoid the risk of tripping over them.