How to protect yourself from electrocution and electrical injury

If we were to tell you not to carry out that electrical job because you would die from an electric shock would you do it anyway? The answer hopefully would be a resounding no! Unfortunately for one person every week in the UK, that quick electrical job costs someone their life and 350,000 are injured every year as a result of electrical DIY jobs. These are frightening statistics and there is a very real likelihood you could become a statistic too if you carry out DIY electrical work in your home.

Electrical work myths

So aside from not carrying out DIY electrical work, surely someone else with a bit of electrical knowledge will be able to carry out electrical work? Again this is wrong too. As electricians in London we witness on a daily basis the misconceptions of home electrics. From the person who believes you only need to pull a fuse out to carry out electrical work safely to the person who thinks their plumber can also do their electrical work. It is vitally important that only a qualified and registered electrician does your home electrical work, no matter how small – or big – the job is. If you are paying out thousands of pounds for a new bathroom, why would you compromise your safety by trying to do your own electrics or asking someone who is not a qualified electrician to do it?

Making sure you hire the right person to do your electrical work

Having made the right decision to use an electrician to carry out your electrical work, you will of course want to ensure you don't become prey to an unqualified and unregistered electrician. Essentially this is a person who will tell you that they are an electrician and no doubt will baffle you with words to that effect. To this end, you might not think to ask to see their qualifications and proof of registration before they begin working in your home.

The electrical safety charity Electrical Safety First estimate that there are around 20,000 unregistered electricians carrying out work in peoples homes at any one time. This is a startling number and in most cases, the householder is not aware of the fact believing they are paying a qualified and registered electrician to carry out the work.

It is now easier to check the credentials of an electrician before they start work

Checking the credentials of an electrician before they start work is the only way you can guarantee that the work you have done is safe, legal and in accordance with electrical regulations. Here at Fulcher Edwards, we witness on a regular basis the results of shoddy and dangerous work carried out by unregistered electricians. Although we put the job right, it still costs the customer more in the long run as they are then paying for the work twice.

Unfortunately many of our clients in this position did not check the electricians credentials instead often relying on neighbours or friends recommendation. Indeed, many of our clients were under the impression that the person fitting their new kitchen or bathroom were qualified to carry out the electrical work.

The good news is though, you can now get one step ahead of an unregistered electrician by checking a new on line register which features all appropriately qualified and registered electricians who can carry out work in homes in England and Wales. As electricians in London witnessing dangerous electrical work being carried out on a regular basis, we highly recommend you check this register before making contact with an electrician.

The register is called Registered Competent Person Electrical and was launched only last month. It is Government supported and all electricians are on there regardless of which scheme they are registered with. It is very user friendly too, simply enter your postcode in the box and your nearest electricians will be displayed. As niceic electricians we are proud to be listed on the register. If you search for an electrician and they do not appear on this register then you are better off walking away. Do not take the risk on using an unregistered electrician.

Tips on making sure your electrical work goes without a hitch

• Remember to check credentials

Always confirm proof that your electrician is qualified and registered before work commences. If your electrician is not willing to show them, you are better off using someone else.

• References

Ask previous customers thoughts on the standard of work the electrician has carried out and how satisfied they were with the experience.

• Get 3 quotes

Don't settle for the first quote, get a quote from 2 other electricians. This will give you an idea of the price you're looking at. Don't be tempted to take the cheapest quotation, as this could mean the work will not be up to standard or have hidden costs which means you'll be paying more in the long run.

• Know who everyone is

If different trades people are doing the work, it makes sense to know who everyone is. Make sure you check the credentials of everyone working in your home before they carry out any work.

Keeping you safe

As electricians in London, we care passionately about the electrical safety of all our clients. We are determined to spread the word on avoiding unregistered electricians and how to ensure only qualified and registered electricians carry out work in your home.