Trading Standards at the Vale of Glamorgan Council recently carried out a pilot project to check the safety of residents’ electrical Christmas decorations and lights – with some (quite literally) shocking results!
Residents were offered the opportunity to have their electrical Christmas items tested for free by an expert and pick up some advice on using them safely.
Less than half the items passed the test.
Some of the worst problems included poorly repaired lights and extension leads held together with tape; extension leads that had no earth and broken bulbs that would pose an electrocution risk if touched, as well as causing other touching materials like tinsel to become live.
In one case, ‘Mrs X’ had wired two sets of lights into one plug. When one set failed the light string was cut off, leaving bare live wires protruding. If touched this would give a serious electric shock. Our expert deemed these to be ‘potentially lethal’.
To make sure your Christmas doesn’t go off with the wrong sort of bang, the Trading Standards team is offering the following advice:
- Try to purchase your lights from a reputable trader and make sure your lights have a CE mark on – this shows that they meet the minimum European safety standards.
- Check to ensure the lights are fitted with an approved plug with a three-amp fuse or a mains transformer as low voltage sets pose less risk of an electric shock.
- Always read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and never insert or remove bulbs when the lights are switched on.
- Do not use lights outdoors unless they have been specifically designed for this purpose and use an RCD (residual current device) for added protection against shock.
- Not all lights are suitable for use on a Christmas tree, so check instructions before you start trimming up.
- Keep lights clear of decorations and other flammable materials and don’t leave the lights on when you leave the house or go to bed.
- Check your lights to see if any of the bulbs are damaged, that they are secure and check the insulation to ensure there are no breaks exposing the internal wires.
- Only use the correct spare bulbs and ensure a fuse bulb is fitted (usually these have a white tip).
- Only use extension cables that have been tested and ensure they have an earth wire. Avoid cables becoming a tripping hazard and avoid ‘daisy chaining’ extension leads.
- Check for overloaded plugs – you should fit one plug per socket unless you use a bar adapter on a lead. But don’t plug appliances into an adapter that collectively uses more than 13 amps of current.
- Take care not to damage lights when dismantling and packing.
- Keep them safely stored away from children and pets and avoid damp or excessively warm conditions.
- Finally, if in doubt, throw them out!
More information on Trading Standards and how to get in touch with the team is available here.
