Gas and Electrical Safety

Gas Safety

Natural gas is a very safe fuel to use in your home. However it is vital that you know what procedures to follow should you smell gas:

Turn the gas off at the meter
Make sure all appliances are turned off.
Open a window to let the fresh air in and gas out.
Do not smoke or light any matches or naked flames.
Do not switch lights or electrical appliances on or off.
Phone the Transco Emergency telephone number 0800 111 999.

Using Gas Appliances Safely

Always read the instruction booklets that come with any gas appliances before use, and keep the instructions handy in case you need to refer back to them.

Gas equipment and appliances are not suitable for "Do-It-Yourself" work. It is a legal requirement to use qualified people to install, modify or service gas appliances. Information and advice on qualified people is available from from Gas Safe Register on 0800 408 5500.
All gas appliances use oxygen from the air to work properly, so they must have an adequate supply of fresh air and a means of venting the burnt gases
It is very dangerous to cover up ventilators or air bricks which supply air for boilers, gas fires or open flue wall heaters. The same applies to chimneys and flues which musty be kept clear.
You should get a gas safety check every year, it must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, who will look at :
-the gas supply pipework
- that all gas appliances are working safely
- that all gas flues are working safely and are suitable
- that gas appliances have adequate ventilation.
- If you're a tenant of the council, a housing association or a private landlord it is their legal duty to arrange this. As a tenant you must allow a Gas Safe registered engineer access to your accommodation to carry out safety checks and, if necessary, repair work.
A poorly ventilated or faulty gas appliance can produce carbon monoxide. This is a dangerous odourless gas which can be fatal. Yellow or orange flames, staining and soot marks on or near the appliance can indicate a problem. Feeling unusually drowsy, sick or headachey when the appliance is in use could be a danger signal. For peace of mind, carbon monoxide detectors can be bought and installed quite cheaply. The detector should be of British Standard BS7860.

For further information on using gas appliances safely go to http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg238.pdf

Electrical Safety

Electricity is very safe when used properly. Keep safe by following these common-sense tips:

Never touch plugs, switches or electrical appliances with wet hands
If you fit a plug always make sure you wire it correctly and use the correct fuse.
Never join two pieces of wire together.
Check plugs and flexes regularly, looking out for damaged, loose connections and scorch marks round plugs. If you find anything wrong, it should be mended straightaway and the appliance shouldn't be used until it has been fixed.
Don't overload wall sockets. If you need to use an adaptor, use a multi-socket trailing adaptor, not a multi-way adaptor that plugs straight into the socket and never plug one adapter into another one
If you need to use an extension cable, don't use a longer one than you need. Don't use coiled extension cables, as this can cause them to overheat
Don't exceed the recommended bulb wattage for light fittings
Don't leave wires and cables trailing across the floor where you might trip over them
Never hang anything over convector or fan heaters
Make sure that you don't cover the immersion heater cap or control with the insulating jacket
Never use mains powered electrical equipment in the bathroom
Electric blankets are a common cause of fires. Always follow the instructions carefully. It is recommended that you get them serviced every three years