NSW Fair Trading and SafeWork NSW have joined forces to urge consumers to have safety switches installed in their homes as part of a new campaign doubling down on electrical safety.
Minister for Better Regulation, Kevin Anderson, said the campaign was in response to several fatalities caused by house fires and faulty wiring in residential properties.
“Electrical faults and appliances are a common cause of house fires in NSW every year but they don’t need to be,” Mr Anderson said.
“All of these fires could have been prevented by the simple installation of a safety switch, which is designed to turn off the electricity supply in milliseconds if an electrical fault is detected.”
He said the new campaign would be delivered with a number of industry partners including unions, energy retailers and CHOICE to educate and encourage NSW homeowners to install switches and to undertake regular checks.
“Hiring a licensed electrician to install safety switches in your home will cost a few hundred dollars – but it could save your life,” Mr Anderson said.
“Don’t forget that like smoke alarms, safety switches also need to be checked every six months to make sure they’re working as they should be.”
Mr Anderson also warned the public against conducting electrical work themselves, or allowing unlicensed electrical work to be carried out in their homes.
“DIY electrical work is illegal and could easily result in a house fire if the work is faulty putting your home and loved ones at serious risk,” Mr Anderson said.
“Before you engage an electrician, visit the Fair Trading website to check they hold a valid licence to do the job and a Certificate of Compliance for Electrical Work (CCEW), which electricians are required to provide when the work is complete, to ensure it complies with safety guidelines.”
