Published: Friday 13 December 2024
The most wonderful time of year is almost upon us, If you’re digging out your decorations from the loft, check the Christmas lights are not worn or damaged and check plugs, bulbs and wires. Common electrical hazards include overloading plug sockets, using counterfeit or incorrect chargers for tablets, laptops and mobile phones and “daisy-chaining” – plugging multiple extension leads together or plugging many multi-socket adaptors into a single socket.
One of our Building Safety Managers, Mickey Power talks below about how to use extension leads safely, something we urge everyone to watch this festive period.
Our top tips to help everyone step into Christmas safely
- Keep candles away from Christmas trees, curtains or anything else that could catch fire and don’t leave them burning unattended.
- Check your Christmas tree lights conform with safety standards and always switch them off before going to bed.
- Don’t attach decorations to lights or heaters – they can overheat and catch fire.
- Make sure you have a fire escape plan and share this with everyone in your household and any guests staying over Christmas.
- Don’t leave cooking unattended, it’s safer to take pans off the heat and turn the hob, oven or grill off.
- Make sure new electrical appliances have a British or European safety mark when you buy them.
- Don’t overload plug sockets.
- Check on elderly relatives and neighbours and make sure they are safe.
- Test your smoke alarms and make sure they are working. Fit a heat alarm in the kitchen – this will detect an increase in temperature caused by fire, but not be set off by cooking fumes.
- If you smoke over Christmas make sure you don’t get distracted and ensure your smoking material is extinguished properly.
If you have any concerns or would like to speak to a member of our fire safety team please email [email protected] or call 0800 137 111.
Alternatively, you can visit the London Fire Brigade website where you can find helpful tools such as their Home Fire Safety Checker.