Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Family, home and community
  3. Support and safety in your home
  4. Fire prevention

Electrical safety

Electrical appliances, plugs and cables that are old or poorly wired can be dangerous. Just because there’s no flame does not mean there’s no fire risk. Find out what to check for to make sure your appliances don’t put you, your family or housemates at risk from fire.

Danger signs

There are danger signs to look for on all electrical items you have at home. If you think something needs fixing or changing, do it immediately.

Plugs and sockets

For plugs and sockets, watch for:

  • hot plugs or sockets, scorch marks, fuses that often blow or flickering lights - these are signs of loose wiring or other electrical problems
  • badly wired plugs – any coloured wires sticking out could come loose and debris could also get into the plug
  • overloaded sockets – plugging too many electrical appliances into one socket can lead to overheating

Cables and leads

Don't take risks with cables and leads. Check if leads are:

  • frayed and damaged – make sure the outer covering is in good condition and replace if necessary
  • positioned carelessly – don't leave leads near water, cookers, other heat sources or where someone could trip
  • placed under rugs or carpets - don't put leads where they can wear through without anyone noticing

Appliances 

For electrical appliances, you should not:

  • get them wet – this includes plugs and sockets, for example, don’t put a vase of flowers on top of a television
  • leave them on at night – unless they are designed to be left on, like freezers
  • put anything in the microwave that is made of metal, or has a metallic finish or parts

Maintenance

Electrical appliances, especially ones that run at high speeds and contain motors, like washing machines, should be serviced once a year by a qualified electrician.

Plugs, sockets and cables

Plugs, sockets and cables also need to be used correctly. You should:

  • make sure you can’t see any coloured wires between the plug and the power lead – change the plug properly
  • make sure the wires are held firmly in place inside the plug
  • use sockets safely – it’s better to use a bar adaptor (multi board) on a lead than a block adaptor
  • only use one adaptor per socket – don’t plug one adaptor into another and try to keep to one plug per socket

Fuses

When you’re fitting or replacing a fuse, it’s important to use the right fuse for the appliance to make sure the fuse doesn’t overheat. Check the manual or look for a sticker on the appliance to find out its wattage and then use the right fuse.

Extension leads and adaptors have a limit on how many amps they can take. Don't overload extensions and leads.

Dealing with an electrical fire

If there is an electrical fire, pull the plug out or switch off the power at the fuse box, if it's safe to do so. Sometimes this can stop the fire immediately.

Never use water on an electrical fire, and don't take any risks with your safety. Get out, stay out and call 999.

Electrical safety during a power cut

Some advice to stay safe during a power cut:

  • never approach broken lines or damaged poles and keep children and animals away - telephone Northern Ireland Electricity to report damage and listen to recorded messages carefully
  • if you are using a generator, be careful where you site it in case of carbon monoxide poisoning
  • turn off electric cookers, ovens, irons and other similar electrical appliances if electricity is lost
  • leave a light switched on so you know when power has been restored
  • take extra care if using candles, oil lamps or other naked flames
  • test smoke alarms with fresh batteries
  • make sure adequate ventilation if using gas heaters

More useful links

  • Fire safety in the home
  • Gas safety and carbon monoxide
  • Smoke alarms and fire emergency equipment
  • Fire prevention
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Fire prevention

  • Bonfire safety
  • Electrical safety
  • Fire safety advice for parents and child carers
  • Fire safety for thatched buildings
  • Fire safety in caravans and mobile homes
  • Fire safety in high-rise accommodation
  • Fire safety in the home
  • Fire safety on boats
  • Fire safety outdoors - barbecues, camping, countryside
  • Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service
  • Smoke alarms and fire emergency equipment

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS