Electrical safety at home: a guide for families

Electrical safety at home: warning signs, extension leads, bathroom and kitchen, children, heaters, circuit breakers, RCDs and first aid for electric shock.

Electricity is beside us every day: the kettle, the iron, the washing machine, the phone charger and, in winter, the heater. We are so used to it that we often forget the danger. Yet an overheating socket, an overloaded extension lead or wet hands in the bathroom can cause serious injury and fire. This guide is written for the whole family. It brings together how to recognise warning signs, how to use extension leads and adaptors properly, what precautions to take in the bathroom and kitchen, how to protect children, how to handle heaters in winter, how the consumer unit and circuit breakers work, why a residual current device (RCD) matters, the principles of first aid for electric shock and a room-by-room home check. At the end there is a practical exercise and a checklist.

An important warning: this article does not teach you to repair wiring yourself. Any work on sockets, switches, cables, the consumer unit or circuit breakers, whether replacing, moving or running a new circuit, must be done by a qualified electrician. The family’s job is to notice danger early, use appliances correctly and call a professional in good time.

Warning signs: what to look out for

A fault in the wiring usually shows itself gradually rather than all at once. If you notice any of the following signs, do not ignore it.

A hot socket or plug. If a socket or plug becomes hot while an appliance is running, that points to a poor connection or overload. Normally they should not get noticeably warm.
A smell of burning plastic. If an unexplained burning smell appears at home, check the sockets, extension leads and appliances first.
Sparks. A small spark when you push in or pull out a plug can happen occasionally, but repeated or large sparks and crackling are signs of a fault.
Scorch marks around a socket. Darkened plastic or wall means something overheated inside.
Flickering lights. If a light keeps flickering even after the bulb has been changed, or dims sharply when a powerful appliance switches on, there may be a problem with the wiring or the connections.
A circuit breaker that trips often. A breaker does not trip for no reason: it is protecting the circuit. If it trips regularly, the circuit is overloaded or faulty.
A socket in a damp spot. Moisture near a socket, water seeping down a wall or a leaking roof is very dangerous.
A damaged cable. A cable with cracked insulation, crushed at a bend, wrapped in insulating tape or with bare metal showing.
An appliance that “bites”. If you feel a slight tingle when touching an appliance’s casing, stop using it immediately.

What to do when you notice a sign

Unplug the appliance with dry hands, holding the plug body rather than pulling the cable.
If the socket itself is hot, scorched or sparking, do not plug anything into it. Switch off that room’s breaker at the consumer unit.
If there is smoke or fire, switch off the main switch first and call 101.
Do not open or repair the socket yourself; call an electrician.

Example: Farhod noticed that the kitchen socket became warm whenever the kettle boiled, but decided it was fine because “it still works”. A few weeks later the socket cover turned black. Had an electrician been called at the first sign, a small repair would have sorted it.

Extension leads, adaptors and chargers

Many homes do not have enough sockets, so extension leads and plug adaptors are everywhere. They are not dangerous in themselves; the danger comes from using them wrongly.

Overloading

Every extension lead has a maximum permitted load. It is usually shown on a label on the casing or on the packaging. The power rating of each appliance is also given on its label or in its manual. The rule is simple: compare the combined power of the appliances running at the same time with the permitted load on the extension lead’s label.

High-power appliances such as heaters, electric kettles, irons, air conditioners, electric ovens and hairdryers should generally not be plugged into the same extension lead together. For example, adding a kettle and an iron to a lead that is already running a heater in winter can make it overheat.

Using extension leads properly

Do not daisy-chain. Plugging one extension lead into another or into an adaptor creates a dangerous chain.
Do not use a reel while it is wound up. If the cable on a cable reel is not fully unwound, it can heat up when a powerful appliance is connected. Unwind it completely.
Do not hide cables under rugs. A cable running under a rug or a door gets crushed and heats up, and any damage stays out of sight.
It is not a permanent fix. An extension lead is a temporary tool. If you always need one in a particular spot, ask an electrician to fit an extra socket.
Choose a quality product. Buy a lead with a sturdy casing, a plug that fits the socket snugly, and the manufacturer and technical details marked on it. Avoid very light products with thin cables and no markings.

If you work from home, our article on setting up a home workspace has tips on arranging the computer, monitor and lamp; tidy cables help with safety too.

Chargers

Chargers for phones, tablets, laptops and electric scooters also need attention.

Use the original charger or one from a reputable manufacturer. Very cheap unbranded chargers may lack protective circuitry.
Do not charge a phone under a pillow or on a soft duvet: the heat cannot escape.
Once charging is finished, unplug the charger.
Replace a charger with a broken cable or one that gets very hot while charging.
Do not charge or use a phone or laptop with a swollen battery; take it to a service centre.

Bathroom and kitchen: water and electricity

Water conducts electricity, which is why the bathroom and kitchen are the most dangerous places in the home.

In the bathroom

Do not use a hairdryer, hair straightener or electric shaver next to the bath or shower, or with wet hands.
Do not leave an appliance near water or on the edge of the basin, where it could fall in.
If an electrical appliance falls into water, never reach in for it. First switch off the breaker at the consumer unit, then take it out. Have a professional check the appliance before you use it again.
Do not use extension leads in the bathroom.
The washing machine and water heater (instant heater or boiler) must be properly earthed; an electrician checks this.

In the kitchen

Keep the kettle, multicooker and blender away from the sink.
To fill the kettle, lift it off its base first; do not carry it to the tap while it is plugged in.
Cables should not touch the hob or hot pans.
Do not plug in or unplug anything with wet hands. Dry your hands on a towel first.
Check the socket and cable behind the fridge from time to time: there should be no dust, damp or signs of heat.

Keeping children safe

Young children explore the world with their hands, and the holes in a socket look interesting to them.

Socket covers. Fit special safety covers on unused sockets within a child’s reach. Some sockets have built-in safety shutters; discuss this with the electrician when new ones are fitted.
Cables. Kettle, iron and charger cables should not hang over the edge of a table: if a child pulls one, a hot appliance can fall on them.
Do not leave chargers plugged in. A child may put the end of an empty charger cable in their mouth.
The iron. When you finish ironing, unplug the iron straight away and leave it to cool somewhere a child cannot reach.
Explain. Teach older children simple rules: do not touch anything electrical with wet hands, never push anything into a socket, and tell an adult about a damaged cable.

Example: before her grandson came to stay, Dilnoza looked round the house “through a child’s eyes”. She put covers on three low sockets, gathered the cables behind the television out of sight behind the furniture and moved the kettle back from the edge of the table.

Using heaters in winter

In winter many households use electric fan heaters, oil-filled radiators or underfloor heating. This is when both the load on the wiring and the fire risk go up.

Keep away from anything flammable. Place the heater well away from curtains, blankets, clothes, newspapers and furniture. Do not dry washing on it.
Do not leave it unattended. When you go out, switch the heater off and unplug it.
Switch it off at night. Warm the room before bed and switch the heater off. If it has to stay on, choose a model the manufacturer approves for overnight use, with automatic tip-over shut-off and overheat protection.
Straight into a wall socket. Where possible, plug the heater directly into a wall socket rather than an extension lead.
A stable spot. The heater should stand on a level floor where it cannot tip over and where children and pets cannot knock into it.
Check old heaters. Do not use a heater with a stiffened cable, a cracked casing or a strange smell.

The consumer unit, circuit breakers and RCDs

The consumer unit and circuit breakers

The consumer unit (also called the fuse box or distribution board) is the box where the electricity coming into the home is divided between rooms and circuits. The circuit breakers inside it cut off the power automatically if a circuit is overloaded or short-circuits.

Every member of the family should know:

Where the consumer unit is. It is often in the hallway near the front door or, in blocks of flats, in a shared cabinet on the landing.
Which switch is the main switch. So that in an emergency the whole home can be switched off in one move.
Which breaker controls what. The kitchen, bathroom, rooms, air conditioner, washing machine.

Labelling the breakers

Breakers are often unlabelled, and in an emergency people have to guess which one to switch off. You can sort this out in advance:

During the day, when the family is at home, switch off one breaker.
Walk round the home and find out which lights and sockets have gone off (to test a socket, plug in a lamp or a phone charger).
Write down the result and switch the breaker back on.
Stick a clear label under each breaker: “Kitchen sockets”, “Bedroom lights”.
Stick an overall plan to the inside of the consumer unit door.

While doing this, do not touch anything inside the unit or remove its cover; you only switch the breaker levers off and on. If the unit is old, cracked or has exposed wires, leave this job to an electrician.

If a breaker trips, you can switch it back on once. If it trips again straight away or keeps tripping, do not keep resetting it: unplug the appliances on that circuit first and call a professional.

Why an RCD matters

A residual current device (RCD), known in Russian as UZO, does a different job from a circuit breaker. An ordinary breaker protects the cables from overload and short circuits. An RCD notices when current starts flowing where it should not, for example to earth through a person’s body or a damp wall, and disconnects the supply very quickly. That is why it noticeably reduces the risk of electric shock, especially on circuits for the bathroom, kitchen and washing machine.

If you do not know whether your home has an RCD, ask an electrician. Choosing and fitting one is strictly a job for a professional: the type of device and the way it is wired in depend on the home’s electrical system. An RCD usually has a “Test” button; find out how and how often to press it from the electrician who fitted it or from the device’s instructions.

First aid for electric shock and electrical fires

Principles of first aid for electric shock

This section does not replace a medical course, but every member of the family should know the basic principles.

Cut off the source first. Switch off the breaker at the consumer unit or pull the plug out of the socket, if you can do so without putting yourself at risk.
Do not touch the casualty with bare hands. If they are still in contact with the current, it will pass through you as well.
Separate them with something dry and non-conductive. If the source cannot be cut off quickly, stand on a dry surface and push the cable and the person apart with a dry wooden stick, a plastic object or something similar that does not conduct electricity. Do not use anything metal or wet.
Call an ambulance straight away on 103. The single emergency number is 112. Even if the casualty feels fine, they must be seen by a doctor.
Follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Watch their breathing and consciousness, stay on the line, and ask people nearby for help until the ambulance arrives.

The best way to learn first aid skills, including how to help someone who has stopped breathing or whose heart has stopped, is hands-on training on a certified course.

Do not put out an electrical fire with water

Putting water on a live appliance or cable can give you an electric shock.

If possible, switch off the main switch.
Call 101.
If you have a fire extinguisher suitable for electrical equipment and the fire is small, use it according to its instructions. If the fire is spreading, do not try to put it out yourself.
Get the family out of the home, close the door and wait for the emergency services outside.

During a thunderstorm

In a heavy thunderstorm it is advisable to unplug the computer, television and other sensitive equipment.
During a storm do not use electrical appliances with wet hands, and keep away from any fallen cables.
If you see a fallen power line in the street, keep away from it and from the wet ground around it, move children away and report it to the relevant service or to 112.

Checking your home: a room-by-room checklist and common mistakes

The whole family can do this check together at least once a year, for example before winter. Only look and check lightly by hand; do not open anything.

Hallway and consumer unit

Everyone in the family knows where the consumer unit is.
The breakers are labelled and the main switch is clear.
Access to the consumer unit is not blocked by belongings.

Kitchen

The kettle, multicooker and microwave are on separate sockets, or together they do not create an overload.
Sockets are away from the sink, and cables do not touch the hob.
The socket behind the fridge is not warm and not clogged with dust.

Bathroom

No extension leads are used.
The hairdryer and other appliances are kept away from water.
The washing machine and water heater were connected by a professional.

Bedroom and living room

The heater is away from curtains and blankets and is switched off at night.
Extension leads are not under rugs and not daisy-chained.
Chargers are not left under pillows.

Children’s room

Unused sockets have covers.
Cables are out of a child’s reach.

Common mistakes

“It still works”. Putting off dealing with a warm socket or a flickering light.
Resetting the breaker again and again. Holding it on without finding the cause, or asking for a bigger breaker to be fitted.
DIY repairs. Replacing a socket or joining cables by following a video. This work needs an electrician.
“Fixing” with tape. Wrapping a damaged cable and carrying on using it. Replace the cable or the appliance.
Everything on one extension lead. The heater, kettle and iron all on the same lead.
Wet hands. Touching a plug in the bathroom or kitchen without drying your hands.

Practical exercise and conclusion

A family exercise

Set aside an hour at the weekend and do the following together as a family:

Find the consumer unit together and point out the main switch.
Label the breakers using the steps above.
Look over the extension leads and chargers in every room; set aside any damaged ones.
Read the power rating on the labels of the heater, kettle, iron and air conditioner and compare it with the extension lead’s label.
Explain the rules about wet hands and sockets to the children as a game.
Stick the emergency numbers on the fridge: 101 for fire, 103 for an ambulance, 112 as the single emergency number.
Talk through an “electric shock” scenario: who switches off the breaker, who makes the call.
Make a list of the problems you find and show it to an electrician.

Quick checklist

Everyone knows where the consumer unit and main switch are.
The breakers are labelled.
High-power appliances are not on the same extension lead.
There are no extension leads in the bathroom, and appliances are kept away from water.
Sockets within a child’s reach have covers.
The heater is away from anything flammable and switched off at night.
The emergency numbers are somewhere visible.
You have checked with a professional whether there is an RCD.

Electrical safety does not require complex knowledge: being attentive, following simple rules and leaving work on the wiring to a professional is enough. If you would like to know what the profession involves, read our article on the electrician’s profession. For those who want to learn electrical installation work professionally, with proper safety practice, there is an electrician training programme.

Take a look at our association’s other free training programmes as well. When you are ready, submit an application and our specialists will get in touch.