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Safety at Home

Treat lines, cables, switches and sockets as live, at all times.

Electricity is clean, efficient and instantly available to use, but it can’t be seen or heard and has no smell. You can’t see the danger.

At home

Switch power off at the mains if you smell smoke or if your power is surging (e.g. your lights or appliances are turning on and off).

Turn off all electronic appliances when:

  • Your power is surging
  • There is a blown fuse
  • An appliance comes into contact with water
  • Your home is struck by lightning

Treat all power lines and cables as if they’re live, even if you’ve turned off the mains switch.

Be Prepared

Electricity faults can happen at any time, with no warning. It’s a good idea to keep the following items handy and to know where to find them in the dark:

  • A torch and spare batteries
  • A full gas bottle so you can cook using your BBQ
  • Some cash as EFTPOS machines rely on power
  • Candles and matches – make sure you never light candles near curtains or leave them unattended
  • A battery-operated radio
  • A fully charged cellphone OR fully charged power bank
  • A full tank of petrol in your vehicle
  • Bottled water per person – you should keep this in your freezer so it’s fresh