Member Article

Take it off before it starts a fire

Tyneside based Electrical Safety Testing specialists DRA Solutions Limited are warning people of a potential fire hazard lurking in their homes and at work; on the pins of their plugs.

The danger comes from the handy cardboard wiring diagrams that are attached to the pins of the plug on new electrical appliances you buy; most commonly found on extension leads, toasters, Televisions and lamps. These diagrams tend to be left on as people presume they’re meant to be not realising the dangers they may be causing by leaving them in place.

Richard Ayre, Director of DRA Solutions Limited said “I find it ironic that these cardboard wiring diagrams are showing us how to correctly wire a plug, promoting safety yet are a fire hazard”.

“I spend my working life crawling under desks hunting for sockets and plugs, and almost every day, wherever I go I am surprised to find this one particular little fire hazard; you could call it a pet hate, but I understand why it happens so easily. Unfortunately people are being educated the wrong way”.

Richard continues: “You see, when you buy an electrical appliance these days; an extension lead for example or a laminator, you unwrap it taking off the plastic cover and plug it into the socket. What everyone seems to miss is the little cardboard wiring diagram that’s been pushed over the pins of the plug”.

A 3 pin plug (BS1363) is specially designed for perfect fitting in an electric socket; the 3 pins are the desired length to make a strong connection so safety is paramount in its manufacture.

“Have you ever noticed when you unplug an appliance, if you accidentally touch the pins, or the underside of the plug it tends to be hot? As an electrical appliance needs more power, and is left on longer, the plug gets hotter. This piece of cardboard sandwiched between the plug and socket heats up so much that it can, under extreme circumstances ignite the cardboard!”

Richards’s advice is “take a few minutes today; go around your home or office and check all your plugs; remove this cardboard diagram and do your own little bit for fire prevention. You never know you could just be saving a life”.

Richard’s business was established in 2009, and is becoming a recognised and trusted name in the industry – trading as DRA Electricals Richard specialises in Portable Appliance Testing. Whilst the rest of the industry insists customers need annual PAT testing DRA Solutions Limited help their clients to assess the risks and determine the correct intervals for their business.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Richard Ayre .