Stop the shock: new campaign reinforces electrical safety

In response to several fatalities caused by house fires and faulty wiring in residential properties, the NSW Government has launched a campaign doubling down on electrical safety. Led by NSW Fair Trading and SafeWork NSW, the campaign seeks to promote the importance of a safety switch in every NSW home.

Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson warned the public against conducting electrical work themselves or allowing unlicensed electrical work to be carried out in their homes.

“Hiring a licensed electrician to install safety switches in your home will cost a few hundred dollars — but it could save your life. 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,” Anderson said.

Anderson also urged consumers to visit the Fair Trading website before engaging an electrician, to ensure 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.

The campaign will be delivered with a number of industry partners, including unions, energy retailers and CHOICE, to educate and encourage NSW home owners to install safety switches and undertake regular checks. Anderson urged home owners to check their safety switches every six months, to make sure they are working as they should be.

“Electrical faults and appliances are a common cause of house fires in NSW every year but they don’t need to be. 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,” Anderson said.

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