We value your privacy

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies.

Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

  • Cookie
    cookieyes-consent
  • Duration
    1 year
  • Description

    CookieYes sets this cookie to remember users' consent preferences so that their preferences are respected on subsequent visits to this site. It does not collect or store any personal information about the site visitors.

  • Cookie
    elementor
  • Duration
    never
  • Description

    The website's WordPress theme uses this cookie. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

  • Cookie
    _ga
  • Duration
    1 year 1 month 4 days
  • Description

    Google Analytics sets this cookie to calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognise unique visitors.

  • Cookie
    _gid
  • Duration
    1 day
  • Description

    Google Analytics sets this cookie to store information on how visitors use a website while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the collected data includes the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.

  • Cookie
    _gat_UA-*
  • Duration
    1 minute
  • Description

    Google Analytics sets this cookie for user behaviour tracking.

  • Cookie
    _ga_*
  • Duration
    1 year 1 month 4 days
  • Description

    Google Analytics sets this cookie to store and count page views.

  • Cookie
    _hjSessionUser_*
  • Duration
    1 year
  • Description

    Hotjar sets this cookie to ensure data from subsequent visits to the same site is attributed to the same user ID, which persists in the Hotjar User ID, which is unique to that site.

  • Cookie
    _hjSession_*
  • Duration
    1 hour
  • Description

    Hotjar sets this cookie to ensure data from subsequent visits to the same site is attributed to the same user ID, which persists in the Hotjar User ID, which is unique to that site.

  • Cookie
    _fbp
  • Duration
    3 months
  • Description

    Facebook sets this cookie to display advertisements when either on Facebook or on a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising after visiting the website.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

  • Cookie
    YSC
  • Duration
    session
  • Description

    Youtube sets this cookie to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.

  • Cookie
    VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
  • Duration
    6 months
  • Description

    YouTube sets this cookie to measure bandwidth, determining whether the user gets the new or old player interface.

  • Cookie
    VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA
  • Duration
    6 months
  • Description

    YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's cookie consent state for the current domain.

  • Cookie
    yt-remote-device-id
  • Duration
    never
  • Description

    YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.

  • Cookie
    yt-remote-connected-devices
  • Duration
    never
  • Description

    YouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.

  • Cookie
    yt.innertube::requests
  • Duration
    never
  • Description

    YouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.

  • Cookie
    yt.innertube::nextId
  • Duration
    never
  • Description

    YouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.

Safety Advice Hub
/
Electrical Safety
/
Electrical Safety

- Safety Article -

Electrical Safety

The majority of all accidental house fires are caused by an electrical fault.
Electrical Safety| Safer Homes
  • Last updated: 1st March, 2024

Over half of all accidental house fires are caused by electricity, with faulty electrics causing around four thousand fires in the home each year. Nine out of ten electrical fires are caused by electrical products.

What TO Do

  • Check whether your electrical products have been recalled or a safety notice has been issued for them on the Electrical Safety First product database
  • Register your electrical products with manufacturers so that you are notified of any future recalls or safety notices
  • Be aware that you can register electrical products that you have not owned from new as you are still eligible to be notified of recalls and safety notices
  • Always use electrical products in line with the manufacturer’s guidance
  • Check regularly for the following danger signs:
    • A smell of hot plastic or burning
    • Sparks or smoke coming from a plug or appliance
    • Blackness or scorch marks around a plug, socket or appliance
    • Damaged or frayed cables
    • Exposed electrical wires
    • Melted plastic on appliance casings or plugs
    • Fuses that blow circuit breakers for no obvious reason
  • Check the rating of any appliances you wish to plug into an extension lead by using the socket overload calculator
  • Consider having additional sockets installed by a qualified electrician if you regularly use extension leads and adaptors
  • Ensure you have working smoke alarms on each level of your home and test them every month
  • Consider requesting a Home Fire Safety Visit to review fire precautions within your home and receive additional advice and guidance

What NOT To Do

  • Do not use electrical devices with obvious damage such as frayed cables, exposed wires or melted plastic
  • Do not overload a socket by plugging too many appliances into an extension lead. Most extension leads are rated at 13A but some are rated at 10A or less.
  • Overloading an extension lead could cause the plug in the wall socket to overheat and possibly cause a fire
  • Do not plug one extension lead into another. Remember – only use one socket for one extension lead
  • Do not leave electrical items such as mobile phones on charge or laptop computers on a soft surface like a bed or sofa. Airflow to cooling vents can be blocked and there is a risk of the device overheating and igniting

Helpful downloads

We don't have any downloads for this article.

External Links

Electrical Safety First
Register your Electrical Products
Socket Overload Calculator

Share this article

Facebook
X
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Email

Related articles

- Safer Homes

Living in a building with a ‘stay put’ policy

Read more
- Electrical Safety

Electric bikes and electric scooters

Read more
- Business Safety

Fire Safety for Places of Worship

Read more
- Alarms and detectors

Smoke Alarms

Read more
- Kitchen Safety

Kitchen Safety

Read more
- Safer Homes

Do you work with vulnerable people in their homes?

Read more
- Safer Homes

Smoking

Read more
- Safer Homes

Advice for Carers

Read more

For emergencies

Call 999

General enquiries

01296 744400

Follow us

Facebook X-twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube

Quick links

© Copyright Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service 2025