NICEIC, the voluntary regulatory body for electrical contracting which assesses the competence of UK electricians, is urging the public to avoid the stress and dangers that come with dealing with a possible rogue electrician.
Research carried out by the NICEIC found that 98% of unregistered electricians in the UK are prepared to put consumers at risk by carrying out potentially hazardous electrical work in people’s homes, without having their work checked and certified.
As something we use everyday, it’s easy to take electricity for granted but each year in the UK around 12,500 house fires, 750 serious injuries and 10 deaths are caused by unsafe electrics in the home. If you attempt DIY electrics or use an unregistered electrician to carry out work in your home you could be putting your family’s lives at risk.
All houses should have their electrics checked at least every 10 years by an electrician registered with a government approved scheme, such as NICEIC. The older the electrics, the more often they should be checked.
NICEIC’s top tips
- If the electrical system in your home is over 30 years old, thought should be given to whether it needs replacing.
- Carry out visual inspections, looking for obvious signs of damage such as scorch marks on socket outlets and damaged cables.
There are several tell tales signs to look for that indicate an out of date electrical system and whether your home needs re-wiring –
- Cables coated in black rubber, which was phased out in the 1960s, (cables coated in lead or fabrics are even older). Modern cables use PVC insulation, which is usually coloured grey or white
- A fuse box with a wooden back, cast iron switches, or haphazard mixture of circuit boxes.
- Older round pin sockets and round light switches, braided flex hanging from ceiling roses to light fittings, black switches and sockets mounted in skirting boards.
Visit www.findanelectrician.info and simply enter the name of your town to generate a suitable list of registered electricians. Alternatively you can call 0870 013 0382.
Press contacts: Shelley Cotterell or Martinee Reid at Ridgemount PR Tel: 020 8943 9349
Notes to editors:
NICEIC is an independent voluntary electrical regulatory body that has been assessing the competence of electricians for the past 50 years. NICEIC maintains a register under license from the Electrical Safety Council of around 24,000 Approved Contractors and Domestic Installers that meet national safety standards and codes of practice. It is for this reason, and because all electrical contractors are periodically assessed by one of its area engineers that NICEIC’s symbol is one that you can trust.
