ESF raise concerns on electrical safety at SNP Conference

Electrical Safety First has attended the Scottish National Party's pre-election conference to gain support for its campaign to reduce the more than 3,400 accidental domestic fires in Scotland caused by electricity every year.

The charity committed to reducing deaths and injuries caused by electricity,
promoted its own 'Scottish Manifesto', which includes calls for an extension of regular safety checks to all social housing and owner occupied flats and enhanced electrical safety for Scotland’s ageing population, to the MSPs and party members last month (24 Mar).

With increasing concerns about electrical safety in Scotland’s rapidly expanding PRS – almost two thirds failed the Scottish Housing Quality Standard in 2012 – Electrical Safety First has successfully lobbied for the introduction of mandatory electrical safety checks for the sector. This has now been incorporated into the recent Scottish Housing Act and the Charity is working with the Government to raise awareness of these new regulations for landlords.

Director General Phil Buckle said: “Around two thirds of all domestic fires in Scotland are caused by electricity, with electrical products the prime culprit. So we want to see additional protection provided across the entire housing sector – especially for Scotland’s growing population of older people and those in care homes.

“And with most domestic fires linked to electrical products, we are also calling for additional product safety protection through the installation of RCDs. With many fake and counterfeit items containing faulty parts which can cause shock, or worse, they are a safety essential. So we are delighted to have attended the SNP Conference, an event which has allowed us to get our messages across more directly to decision makers”.

The ESF Manifesto also argues for statutory electrical safety checks in all care homes, residual current devices (which rapidly cut off the current to prevent an electric shock) in all rented homes and banning evictions for complaints about electrical faults or appliances.

To read the manifesto in full visit: www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/news-and-campaigns/policies-and-research/our-key-policies-in-scotland/