Switched On Issue 5

News for the industry from the Electrical Safety Council

Child Safety: launch of our ‘Switched On Kids’ website Also in this issue: Electrical safety abroad

issue5 Summer 2007

WELCOME

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elcome to the fifth issue of Switched On.

In the last three months or so, the team at the Electrical Safety Council has been involved in an incredible amount of activity, pushing the electrical safety agenda forward.

Much of this activity is reported on in this issue of Switched On, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

use electricity safely around our homes and places of work but do we?

Our leader in this issue is about the development of the new educational website, called Switched On Kids, that we are producing for children.

They say that familiarity breeds contempt, and we have probably all been guilty of taking unnecessary risks with electricity.

This work is very important to us, as it provides the Council with a direct way of engaging with children on matters concerning electrical safety.

As ‘grown ups’, we probably think we know best and that we

On a final note, can you help us?

We want to create a library of images of faulty electrical installations and products for our main website, so that people can actually see what can go wrong.

Our strategy is simple - if we can provide learning opportunities for the children in our community, they will hopefully then become champions of electrical safety.

As a parent, I know that children will come home from school and tell their parents or carers what

they have been doing, taking particular joy over telling you that they know more than you do on a subject.

So in the future when your child or grandchild points out that you need to use an RCD or that the extension lead is damaged, please take note - it may prevent an accident.

Better still, why not look at the new website www.switchedonkids.org.uk with them. It will be a great way for everyone in your family to learn more about electricity.

If you have any photos or video clips, please send them to: By post: The Director The Electrical Safety Council 18 Buckingham Gate London SW1E 6LB

By email: philip.buckle@esc.org.uk

COUNCIL MARKS ITS FIRST FULL YEAR OF OPERATION

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he Council held a reception at the House of Commons in March to celebrate its first full year of operation. The event was attended by representatives from the industry, consumer organisations and government.

He also called on government to enforce the existing legislation regulating the standard of electrical work in homes, particularly Part P of the Building Regulations, and reiterated the need for a zero target for electrically-related deaths in the home.

Phil Buckle, Director of Charitable Affairs, used the opportunity to report on the Council’s efforts over the past year to improve levels of electrical safety in the UK, and to call for Home Condition Reports to include electrical safety reports and to be made a mandatory part of Home Information Packs.

Phil highlighted the initiative with RoSPA to deliver accurate, national accident statistics, which are a vital tool to ensure the effective use of resources for accident prevention. Tom Mullarkey MBE, Chief Executive of RoSPA, spoke in support of the Council’s work and the joint initiative.

Andrew Selous MP concluded by saying that the Council’s work was very welcome and that he looked forward to supporting its efforts to reduce electrical accidents and injuries in the UK over the coming years.

We believe that lobbying Parliament to raise awareness of our work and to draw attention to particular electrical safety issues will help us achieve our long-term consumer safety goals.

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The third and final article in the series looks at landlords’ responsibilities for electrical and fire safety. Page 16

issue 05 summer‘07

switchedon industry news your insight into the electrical safety industry

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Council marks its first full year of operation Also, welcome

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Child Safety week Also, consumer research

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Parliamentary survey Also, Consumer Direct

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Home Information Pack Also, fire safety campaign

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News in brief Also, crystal-clear communication

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Fire gateway opens the door to fire & rescue service

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Huge increase in website visitors Also, Could you be an award-

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Best Practice Guides Also, home improvement leaflets for Scotland

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Research into the in-service reliability of RCDs Also, grants for electrical installation safety improvements

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Electrical safety information for consumers Also, electrical contractor fined £100,000 over fatal error

winning landlord?

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Electrical safety abroad Also, Council appoints new deputy chairman

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Council meets the public Also, NHIC 2007 call for entries

features 8

Switched On Kids

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‘Shocking’ report from the European Commission

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Landlords and fire alarm & emergency lighting systems Last of the three instalments

Published by: The Electrical Safety Council 18 Buckingham Gate London, SW1E 6LB www.esc.org.uk Tel: 0870 040 0561 Fax: 0870 040 0560 email: enquiries@esc.org.uk switchedon

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NEWS IN BRIEF ‘Wiring Regulations’ reach 125th birthday

Electrical Safety Council and NICEIC host Fisuel AGM

It is interesting to note that, on 11 May, the ‘Wiring Regulations’ became 125 years old, the first edition having been published by The Society of Telegraph Engineers and of Electricians in 1882.

Revision of BS 7671 The consultation on the revision of BS 7671, which closed in February, resulted in over 2,500 comments being made on the Draft for Public Comment.

The Regulations covered only about four foolscap pages then, a far cry from today’s complex standard! But even in those early days, they fully recognized the importance of inspection and testing to help ensure safety.

At the end of May, the Council, together with its subsidiary NICEIC, hosted the Annual General Meeting of Fisuel, the International Federation for the Safety of Electricity Users.

Fisuel’s objective is to help less developed countries to improve their electrical safety standards.

Electricity at Work Regulations guidance updated The Health and Safety Executive has updated its Memorandum of Guidance on the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

As this issue went to press, the joint IET/BSI Committee responsible for the technical content of the standard, together with its five Panels, was expected to have completed its consideration of each the comments received.

The guidance remains virtually unchanged, the revisions being largely confined to updating references to the relevant regulations, standards and publications, and to having a newly-designed cover.

The new edition is still expected to be published in January 2008, with a six month transition period.

Further details of Fisuel’s aims and objectives can be found on their website www.fisuel.com

Correction: ECA telephone number We regret that the telephone number for the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), given in the ‘landlords and portable appliances’ article on page 13 of the spring issue of Switched On, was incorrect.

The correct number is 0207 313 4800.

CRYSTAL-CLEAR COMMUNICATION

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IN ADDITION TO USING CLEARER LANGUAGE IN THESE LEAFLETS, THE CONTENTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWED AND UPDATED AS NECESSARY

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e announced in the spring issue of Switched On that the Council had become a corporate member of the Plain English Campaign.

After receiving our first Crystal Mark for our ‘So you think your home is safe?’ booklet, we have been working hard to ensure that more of our leaflets meet the standard required by the Plain English Campaign.

We are pleased to report that we have now also received the Crystal Mark for the following leaflets:

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Part P and how it affects you Using electrical equipment outdoors The Home Information Pac Home safe home

In addition to using clearer language in these leaflets, the contents have been reviewed and updated as necessary to ensure we are providing consumers with the most current advice and guidance.

Over 400,000 copies of our leaflets were distributed to consumers last year so, with a planned distribution of over a million this year, clear and concise communication has never been more important to us.

To show the Council’s on-going commitment to the Plain English Campaign, all the Council’s staff will be undertaking the ‘Plain English’ course this summer.

For further information on the Plain English Campaign, visit their website at www.plainenglish.co.uk

HUGE INCREASE IN WEBSITE VISITORS

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e are pleased to report that in the first quarter of 2007, the number of visitors to our website more than tripled. This seems a clear indication of the growing popularity of the site and the usefulness of the information and guidance that can be found there.

The most viewed pages were Guidance for Construction, the Best Practice Guides and the regular consumer favourites Your Fusebox, Find an Electrician and Helpful Tips.

Coming up over the summer, we will be adding advice on electrical safety precautions when going abroad, updating our campaign reports, and publishing more Best Practice Guides.

As always, feedback on the website is greatly appreciated. So should you have any ideas or comments, please send them using the feedback facility on the website.

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The website can now be accessed simply by entering www.esc.org.uk

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Another phase of the website development has now been completed. We hope that visitors are benefiting from the changes which are intended to make the site more accessible and easier to navigate.

The current home page theme is focusing on child safety and how to prevent accidental electrical injuries to children, as well as highlighting the Council’s support of the Child Safety week.

There is also news about the launch of our children’s educational website www.switchedonkids.org.uk

COULD YOU BE AN AWARD-WINNING LANDLORD?

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he competition has now opened to find the winner of this year’s National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) Electrical Safety Award, which will be presented by Chris Huhne MP at a ceremony at the Gladstone Library in London on 22 November.

This includes a standard safety check, electrical maintenance, and the provision of new smoke detectors and a new carbon monoxide detector. A further inspection is also carried out whenever there is a change in tenancy.

The award, sponsored by the Electrical Safety Council, was won last year by Cannock Chase Council for setting exceptionally high standards in improving and maintaining standards of electrical safety in its housing stock.

Those living in rented accommodation are often difficult to reach, and so the Council is relying on landlords across the UK to do all they can to keep their tenants safe and communicate our safety messages. Cannock Chase showed us last year that they were doing this very effectively.

This year the judges will be looking for a winner, who can be a public or private landlord, to match the standards set by Cannock Chase.

Cannock Chase has proved that they are determined to improve standards of safety for all of their tenants and residents. Among the initiatives implemented by Cannock Chase that led to them winning last year’s award are regular seven-yearly inspections of all their properties.

We are sure there are many others taking innovative and thorough measures to ensure the continued safety of their tenants, and we’d love to see them enter for the Award this year.

Judging criteria for the Electrical Safety Award • The electrical installation is checked regularly – at least every 10 years (and on a change of tenancy) • Residual current device (RCD) protection is provided for socket-outlets that may be used to power portable equipment outdoors • Only qualified/registered electricians are used • Tenants’ and residents’ awareness of electrical safety issues is raised • Electrical appliances in sheltered schemes are checked once a year • Customer satisfaction is good • Relevant standards are complied with • Energy saving initiatives are implemented

For details of how to enter, go to: www.nhic.org.uk or email info@nhic.org.uk.

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ELECTRICAL SAFETY ABROAD - TRAVEL ADAPTOR TESTING

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he Council’s consumer protection role includes research into specific areas where we believe there is a potential for unsafe electrical products and appliances to be put onto the UK market.

In the run up to the summer holiday season, and in support of our research into the protection of UK residents from electrical hazards whilst travelling abroad, the Council has commissioned an independent laboratory to buy several travel adaptors on the open market, and to subject them to testing to confirm whether or not they meet the relevant safety standards.

Each adaptor has been assessed against specific criteria to confirm whether or not the UK plug/socket-outlet portions, and the general construction elements of the non-UK portions, comply with the general safety requirements of the applicable Statutory Regulations and Harmonized European Standards.

a socket-outlet aperture when a single pin was inserted into one of the current-carrying socket apertures (see below).

The British Standard for 13A plugs, socketoutlets, adaptors and connection units (BS 1363) states that: “The construction of the adaptor shall be such that when a plug is withdrawn from it, the current-carrying socket contacts are

As well as product testing, the Council is carrying out investigations into other aspects of electrical safety for UK residents abroad, such as the implications of different safety standards, voltages, supply frequencies, etc.

automatically screened by shutters. The shutters shall be operated either by the insertion of the earthing pin or by the simultaneous insertion of any two or more pins of the plug, provided that any one

The investigations will culminate in the development of a quick reference guide to help consumers understand the possible dangers of using electricity abroad, and how to keep themselves safe.

corresponding single pin inserted into any current-carrying socket aperture shall not open the shutter.”

The conclusions of this research, including a report on the travel adaptor testing and the consumer quick reference guide, will be published on the Council’s website as soon as they become available.

Anyone who is concerned that they may have purchased an unsafe electrical product should contact their local authority trading standards department in the first instance.

All the adaptors were purchased in the UK. A total of seven were obtained, six from high street retailers and one from an established market trader. All the sources have an established track record for traceability purposes.

However, we would also like to hear from anyone regarding any general concerns about the safety of an electrical product they have recently purchased.

At the time this issue of Switched On went to press, the initial findings of the research, although not conclusive, had identified the existence of a potentially significant electrical safety hazard in all but one of the adaptors tested.

The main hazard found related to the potential to gain access to a live part through

As with all product testing carried out by the Council, the relevant persons responsible in the supply chain for the safety of the product, including local authorities where appropriate, are notified of our findings.

Clearly, the sample shown above does not meet this requirement.

Please send details to: productsafety@electricalsafetycouncil.org.uk or write to us at: Product Safety The Electrical Safety Council 18 Buckingham Gate London, SW1E 6LB

COUNCIL APPOINTS NEW DEPUTY CHAIRMAN

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r Bill Wright MA CEng FIET has been appointed Deputy Chairman of the Electrical Safety Board for a two year term with effect from 1 April 2007.

He is a nominee of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (formerly the Institution of Electrical Engineers), and has been a Board member since 2001.

Bill is currently Corporate Energy and Environment Manager of John Lewis plc.

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He is a member of JPEL/64, the Joint IET/BSI committee responsible for the technical content of the national standard for the safety of electrical installations (BS 7671). Bill is also Chairman of Panel A of that committee, which has particular responsibility for the inspection and testing requirements of the standard.

Bill is also a member of the Technical Committee of Electrical Safety Council, and of various other committees of the Council and the IET.

THE COUNCIL MEETS THE PUBLIC Ideal Home Show

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he Council was proud to sponsor the Home Ideas Theatre at this year’s Ideal Home Show, which was held at Earls Court throughout March.

The Theatre was a showcase for many lively and informative demonstrations by TV personalities and companies alike, giving us a good opportunity to inform a large number of people about our consumer safety role through the distribution of leaflets and other information.

Homebuilding and Renovating Show In support of its consumer awareness objectives, the Council had a stand at this year’s Homebuilding and Renovating Show, which was held at the NEC, Birmingham on 22 to 25 March.

In addition to giving thousands of sets of electrical safety leaflets and other information to all the visitors to our stand, we gave away over a thousand plug-in RCDs to those who told us they didn’t have an RCD incorporated in their consumer unit at home, or who otherwise had no RCD protection when using power tools outdoors.

Our thanks again go to Greenbrook for supplying their ‘Safetysure’ RCD adaptor for this charitable purpose (several thousand more of their ‘Powerbreaker’ devices having been given away on our stands at the BBC Good Homes and Gardening shows at the NEC last year).

In confirmation of what we had found in our over-the-telephone consumer surveys, a large proportion of the householders we talked to had absolutely no idea what an RCD was, or how they could protect themselves and their families against electric shock.

Indeed, many would have assumed that the circuit-breakers in their consumer unit provided the same function as an RCD. We found it most useful to have on our stand for explanation purposes an RCD of the type typically found in consumer units – our thanks go to ABB for providing the device used on that occasion.

BBC Good Homes Live By the time you receive this issue of Switched On, we will also have had a stand at the BBC Good Homes Live event (a combination this year of last year’s Good Homes Show and Gardeners World), which took place at the NEC on 13 to 17 June.

We again expect to give away thousands of sets of electrical safety leaflets to all those we meet on the stand, together with plug-in RCDs to those who do not already have the benefit of such protection. Look out for a report in the next issue.

More events planned for 2007 and beyond The Council will be participating in a number of other events this year, including: • Exhibiting at the Consumer Affairs and Trading Standards Conference, Manchester 26-28 June • Exhibiting at The Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth 23-27 September We are also pleased to be sponsoring the First Injury Prevention Conference for the UK and Ireland at the Watershed in Bristol (13-14 September), and the Electrical Safety category of the NHIC Annual Awards 2007 (22 November).

We will continue to keep you informed of our participation in events in future issues of Switched On. In the meantime, if you have visited our stand at an event and would like to give us feedback, please email the Editor at editor@esc.org.uk switchedon

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Switched On Kids he Council has launched its exciting new educational website for children, which can be viewed at www.switchedonkids.org.uk.

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After much research and collaborative work with parents, teachers and children, the first phase of the website, targeted at 5-7 year olds, has been launched as part of a wider schools awareness campaign.

This first phase of the site has been developed in line with key stage 1 of the science education curriculum for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and with Level A: Primary Levels P1 – P3 for the science education curriculum for Scotland.

Extract from National Curriculum for England: Science: Key Stage 1: Teaching should ensure that 'scientific enquiry' is taught through contexts taken from the sections on 'life processes and living things', 'materials and their properties' and 'physical processes'. a. about everyday appliances that use electricity b. about simple series circuits involving batteries, wires, bulbs and other components [eg. buzzers, motors] c. how a switch can be used to break a circuit d. recognize that there are hazards in living things, materials and physical processes, and assess risks and take action to reduce risks to themselves and others

Extract from National Guidelines for Scotland: Science: Level A: Primary Levels P1-P3: Developing an understanding of energy through the study of the properties and uses of heat, light sound and electricity: a. Give examples of sources of heat, light and sound b. Give examples of everyday uses of heat, light and sound c. Give examples of everyday appliances that use electricity d. Identify some of the common dangers associated with use of electricity

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Extract from National Curriculum in Wales: Science: Key Stage 1: In studying electricity, forces and motion, and light and sound, pupils should be provided with opportunities to relate observable effects, drawn from familiar contexts, to their scientific knowledge. Pupils should be taught to use appropriate vocabulary in describing and explaining physical processes.

1)

Electricity

a. that many everyday appliances use electricity and that they should be used with care b. to construct and explore simple circuits involving batteries, wires, bulbs, switches and other components, e.g. motors, buzzers c. that electrical devices will not work if there is a break in the circuit and that a switch in the circuit can be used to control an electrical device

Extract from the Revised Northern Ireland Primary Curriculum [March 2007]: The World Around Us: Science and Technology: Movement and Energy The use of electricity as an energy source and the importance of using it safely.

The website is based on an interactive house approach to alert children to the dangers of electricity that could be lurking in their homes. It has been designed to capture the imagination and attention of its 21st century websurfing audience, whilst highlighting the serious nature of electricity.

We hope that the site will be fun as well as educational, and that children, as well as their parents and teachers, will want to come back to the site time and time again.

One ICT teacher in Kent, who provided a focus group with her class groups of seven year olds, said ”We loved the animations, particularly those showing how electricity travels from the power station to our homes. The children really liked that and said it taught them something they didn’t know before.”

And a parent in West London told us that she “…liked the uncluttered, fresh look of the site.”

The main objective of the schools awareness campaign is to reduce the risks to children of the hazards associated with electricity. One of its key initiatives is to develop the educational website.

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We loved

the animations, particularly those showing how electricity travels from the power station to our homes

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Development work on the second phase of the website, targeted at 8 - 11 year olds, is now under way. This will be followed by a third phase, targeted at 12-14 year olds.

If you are a parent, teacher or educationalist who would like to get involved in the development of the website, we would love to hear your views as to what you would like to see included. Please email us at enquiries@esc.org.uk. switchedon

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CHILD SAFETY WEEK

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nother Council initiative linked to the schools awareness campaign has been to support this year’s Child Safety Week, which was an event coordinated by the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT).

Child Safety Week ran from 18-24 June. This year’s theme was ’Safer children, healthier lives. Pass it on’.

The Council contributed to this worthwhile cause by providing CAPT with electrical safety tips that parents and children can download from the CAPT website (www.capt.org.uk) and use to help keep themselves safe at home and at play.

The Council would like to invite all children aged 5 to 11 to enter the competition. Ten lucky winners will each win a voucher worth £25.

To check the answers after the crossword competition closes on 14 September 2007, visit: www.switchedonkids.org.uk To find out more about Child Safety Week and how to enter the crossword competition prize draw, visit: www.capt.org.uk.

In addition, to promote Child Safety Week and to help celebrate the launch of our website for children, the Council has provided CAPT with a crossword competition prize draw.

CONSUMER RESEARCH

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arlier this year we undertook extensive consumer research on a wide range of subjects relating to our work. The research surveyed a crosssection of society in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Two of the main issues of concern highlighted by the research were the lack of awareness of how electrical legislation affects householders, and the lack of understanding of the risks associated with not using competent installers for electrical work in the home.

The alarming results showed that a large proportion of consumers do not use a registered electrician to carry out work in their home and, of the 39% of people who had had electrical work carried out at home over the last two years, only 48% had received certification confirming that it was safe to be put into service.

Perhaps more shocking was that the research showed that 90% of people in England and Wales are still unaware of Part P, more than two years after the requirements came into effect.

The Council is continuing to work hard to raise awareness of Part P. For example, we have published a leaflet devoted to the subject - Part P and how it affects you. More than 15,000 copies of the leaflet have been supplied to consumers (either in hard copy form or as a downloadable copy from our website) since it was published last March.

Well over half of the 1000 people surveyed were unaware that there was any kind of regulation relating to common electrical jobs around the home, such as fitting a new power shower (59% unaware), adding new 10 switchedon

sockets (64% unaware) or installing garden lights (78% unaware), whether the work was notifiable or not.

54% of consumers would definitely like to see a compulsory periodic inspection report on the electrical installation of a house as part of the home moving process, and another 30% said they would probably or possibly like to see its inclusion.

On the results of the research, Phil Buckle said: “We would like to see mandatory reporting which, coupled with better enforcement of existing regulations, could make a real difference. Electricity can be a killer, yet our research shows that currently, people rate it as relatively unimportant. We need to do all we can to change this and bring down the number of electrically-related fatalities, injuries and fires – too many people are wiring up death traps in their own homes. We’d love to see government supporting our aims and embracing the idea of a zero fatalities target.”

We will be using other results from the research throughout the year to help publicise our key aims - of securing the mandatory inclusion of an electrical safety report in the HIP, better enforcement of Part P legislation, and a zero fatality target for domestic electrically-related deaths.

PARLIAMENTARY SURVEY

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arlier this year, we commissioned some research to benchmark how familiar Members of Parliament were with the Council’s objectives and electrical safety issues.

A total of 172 MPs were surveyed, with the data subsequently ‘weighted’ to be representative of the exact composition of the House of Commons in terms of party and constituency region.

As anticipated, MPs’ knowledge of the Council and its work was fairly limited, as indicated in the following summary of the survey results: Summary of research: • Around two thirds of all MPs (63%) said that they were not familiar at all with the Council • 78% of all MPs said they didn’t know if the Council was an independent charity • 18% of all MPs correctly said that the Council was not a profitmaking body • More than a quarter (28%) of all MPs said they thought the Council concentrated on consumers’ electrical safety, while 20% of all MPs thought the Council focused on tradespersons’ safety • Given that issues around faulty smoke detectors have tended to receive more press (and Parliamentary) attention in recent times

than electrical safety problems, it was interesting to note that MPs believed that the threat from both faulty electrical wiring and faulty electrical appliances was marginally more serious than the threat from either faulty smoke detectors or scalding tap water • Although nearly a quarter (24%) of all MPs had never heard of Competent Person schemes, more than a third (34%) said that they would definitely ask their contractor about their registration • Labour MPs attached more importance to their contractor being registered, as nearly half (42%) of them said they would definitely ask about registration, compared to only 21% of Conservative MPs and 30% of Liberal Democrats • Just over half of Conservative MPs (52%) said that they would definitely not use a contractor who said they weren’t registered, compared with 78% of Labour MPs and 81% of Liberal Democrat MPs. A number of initiatives have been undertaken by the Council to raise its profile amongst parliamentarians and to make them more aware of the importance of electrical safety, and these will continue for the foreseeable future.

For example, in May, the Council exhibited in the House of Commons and met with MPs and Peers. The exhibition was kindly sponsored by Andrew Selous MP, the Conservative’s Health & Safety frontbench spokesman.

CONSUMER DIRECT

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n April, Council staff met with Christine Cryne, Director of Consumer Direct, to discuss ways in which our two organizations can work together to help consumers.

Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service funded by government and managed by the Office of Fair Trading. It operates in partnership with local authority Trading Standards Services to offer consumers clear, practical and impartial advice and information.

It has around 350 trained advisers in 11 contact centres across England, Wales and Scotland that deal with around 1.7 million phone calls and emails a year from consumers.

The meeting was very positive, with Consumer Direct agreeing to support the Council in raising consumer awareness of the benefits of using competent electrical contractors.

They also agreed to help the Council raise awareness of the legal requirements relating to electrical work in the home, such as those in the Building Regulations in England and Wales, and in the Building Standards in Scotland.

It is hoped that Consumer Direct will take a part in some of the Council’s future PR activities. Further discussions are planned.

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‘Shocking’ report from the ccording to a report published by the Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection of the European Commission, almost a third of all dangerous products notified through its Rapid Alert System (RAPEX) are household electrical appliances.

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IN 2006, 1,051 DANGEROUS PRODUCTS WERE NOTIFIED THROUGH THE RAPEX SYSTEM

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The report also highlights that ‘injury’ and ‘electric shock’ are the main types of risk consumers have been exposed to over the past few years from these dangerous products.

The report, “Keeping European Consumers Safe”, published in April this year, describes the activities of RAPEX in 2006. It includes information about the types and origins of products that have posed a serious risk to the health and safety of consumers, and which, as a result, have been withdrawn from the market.

At a press conference in Brussels, European Commissioner for Consumer affairs, Meglena Kuneva, said “This Rapid Alert System is a powerful watchdog and an excellent example of European ‘value added’. The constant increase in the number of measures notified is a good sign It shows that vigilance across Europe is getting better and better. The annual report shows that the system in 2006 is working better than ever before. My task is to make it grow to its full potential."

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In 2006, 1,051 dangerous products were notified through the RAPEX system: • 924 of these notifications concerned measures taken by national authorities or voluntarily by producers and distributors in respect of products presenting a serious risk • 23 notifications referred to measures taken by national authorities on products posing a moderate risk • 104 notifications were disseminated for information only to national authorities.

The report states that the number of notifications to RAPEX has risen steeply over the last few years.

Following the introduction of the revised EU Directive on general product safety in January 2004, the number of notifications to RAPEX relating to products presenting a serious risk has more than doubled, from 388 in 2004 to 924 in 2006.

Over 40% of all notifications concern voluntary measures taken by businesses - a considerable year-onyear increase giving a clear indicator of growing safety awareness on the part of European economic operators.

As in previous years, the majority of notifications in 2006 concerned the following categories of products, which accounted for almost 75 % of all notified products: • toys (221 notifications, 24%) • electrical appliances (174 notifications, 19%) • motor vehicles (126 notifications, 14%) • lighting equipment (98 notifications, 11%) • cosmetics (48 notifications, 5%).

Although, for the first time, toys took over from electrical appliances as the product category most often notified, the combined effect of notifications relating to ‘electrical appliances’ and ‘lighting equipment’ ranks electrical products as the highest risk overall.

The main categories of risk that dangerous products pose to consumers are: • injuries (274 notifications, 25%) • electric shock (270 notifications, 24%) • fire risk/burns (194 notifications, 18%) • choking/suffocation (157 notifications, 14%) • chemical risk (95 notifications, 9%).

What is RAPEX? RAPEX is the European rapid information exchange system through which details of all dangerous non-food products can be quickly circulated between participating countries

european commission The main risks related to electrical appliances are: • • • •

Electric shock (61%) Fire risk/burns (31%) Injuries (7%) Choking/suffocation (1%)

The People's Republic of China was indicated as the country of origin for almost half of all products notified under the RAPEX system.

Given that China has rapidly become one of the biggest exporters of consumer products to Europe, the Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2006 with the aim of establishing better communication and collaboration on consumer product safety, and to support Chinese authorities in their efforts to ensure product safety, in particular for consumer products exported to the EU. The report concludes that increased participation of countries in RAPEX confirms it as a reliable and effective tool for monitoring the circulation of unsafe products and a system that has strengthened the effectiveness of market surveillance.

In contrast, however, the results of a recent impact assessment carried out by the Commission on proposals to strengthen market surveillance

activities in Europe indicate that there are still problems with uniform enforcement of legislation.

The assessment reports that, under the current situation, market surveillance is not carried out coherently or rigorously throughout the Community and, as a consequence, large numbers of noncompliant (and potentially dangerous) products reach the market each year.

The Council believes that the findings of both the RAPEX Annual Report and the market surveillance assessment serve to reinforce our message that dangerous electrical products continue to present a significant risk to the health and safety of consumers in the UK. In response to these concerns, the Council has a robust product safety strategy through which it will implement a range of activities designed to target and tackle those electrical products and product services that pose greatest risk to consumers.

The strategy also sets out how the Council will further develop relationships with central government, enforcement authorities, the Commission and stakeholders to ensure its continued support and influence on product safety initiatives at national and European level.

A full copy of the RAPEX Annual Report for 2006, as well as other statistical reports on RAPEX notifications for the current year, can be downloaded from the consumer safety section of the European Commissions website at: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons _safe/index_en.htm The Commission also publishes a weekly overview of the dangerous products reported by the national authorities (the RAPEX notifications).

This weekly overview gives information on the product, the possible danger, and the measures that were taken by the reporting country.

Recent and archived RAPEX notifications can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/ rapex/rapex_archives_en.cfm

Details of all UK electrical product recalls and safety notices published through RAPEX, Trading Standards and other Government agencies can be viewed in the ‘Recalls’ section of the Council’s website. switchedon

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HOME INFORMATION PACK

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n accordance with the Home Information Pack Regulations 2007, which came into effect on 19 April, the provision of a Home Information Pack became compulsory for every domestic property in England and Wales put on the market on or after 1 June.

Properties put on the market before 1 June will not be subject to the new requirement until January 2008.

The Home Information Pack must contain the following ‘required documents’: • • • • •

An index An energy performance certificate A sale statement Evidence of title Searches (Local Authority enquiries, and drainage and water) • Where appropriate, commonhold/leasehold information.

Building Regulations Compliance Certificates The Council was pleased to note that the information contained in the Building Regulations Compliance Certificates issued under competent person self-certification schemes is included as a ‘required document’ under the Local Authority search.

Details of any electrical work carried out under Part P of the Building Regulations and notified via the government-approved scheme operators will therefore need to be included in Home Information Packs.

The inclusion of this information is something that the Council has campaigned strongly for in both Whitehall and Westminster on behalf of consumers.

As householders become more aware of the implications of not receiving the necessary certificates on completion of electrical work, we believe market forces will encourage a greater proportion of electrical installers to register with one of the Part P competent person schemes.

Building Control records It is difficult to comprehend more than two years after Part P came into effect, but it has come to light that Local Authorities have not been required to retain the information sent to Local Authority Building Control by government-approved scheme operators.

However, in March, Communities and Local Government (CLG) published a proposal to amend the Buildings Act 1984 to require Local Authorities to keep registers of Building Control information.

The Council has written in support of the proposal, and is confident that it will be implemented by government. In the meantime, CLG is understood to be planning to require all Local Authorities in England and Wales to store Building Control information and make it available for searches from October 2007.

This legal requirement will greatly strengthen the importance of the services and information provided by those registered with Part P competent person schemes.

In addition, it will be another step forward in our continuing campaign to get the government to agree to include details of the condition of electrical installations in Home Information Packs.

For more details on the Home Information Pack, visit www.homeinformationpack.gov.uk

Stop Press As this issue went to print, the government announced that it had delayed the introduction of Home Information Packs until 1 August, pending revision of the detailed requirements.

FIRE SAFETY CAMPAIGN – COUNCIL ATTENDS A MINISTERIAL RECEPTION

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n March, Electrical Safety Council staff were invited to a Ministerial Reception hosted by Communities and Local Government (CLG) to celebrate the government’s success in significantly reducing the number of fires and fire-related deaths and injuries in England.

About 100 guests from the Fire and Rescue Services and partner organisations attended the event, which was also attended by senior government ministers including Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Phil Woolas, Minister for Local Government, and Fire Minister Angela Smith.

Ruth Kelly congratulated fire and rescue staff throughout the country and said that the event also marked the publication of the latest annual national fire statistics (for 2005), which can be found at www.communities.gov.uk 14 switchedon

Speaking at the event, Ruth Kelly said “Thanks to the outstanding commitment and bravery of our fire and rescue staff, fire deaths are at their lowest for nearly fifty years. The fire and rescue service staff have worked tirelessly, remaining cool and professional in very difficult circumstances.

But we know that we must not rely solely on the 999 control staff and bravery of firefighters to save lives when fire breaks out. That is why the government has invested £50 million in fire prevention and awareness campaigns.

While the numbers of accidental and deliberate fires, false alarms, fire deaths and injuries are down, we must never be complacent. We must all play our part by recognising the risk to ourselves, to our families, and to our neighbours.”

The Council wholeheartedly agrees with the CLG call to “…play our part” and continues to support the CLG campaigns to raise awareness and promote fire safety.

The Council recently made a significant contribution to the CLG Easter DIY awareness campaign by incorporating a number of electrical safety messages into their literature and providing advice in their media campaign material.

In addition, the Council has now produced a fire safety leaflet, “Electricity in the home – Guide to fire safety”, which can be downloaded from the ‘safety in the home’ section of our website.

Alternatively, up to 500 copies can be ordered free of charge by sending an email to: leaflets@electricalsafetycouncil.org.uk

FIRE GATEWAY OPENS THE DOOR TO THE FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE

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ccess to vital fire safety information and the ability to carry out a fire safety assessment on your home is just a click away with the government's launch, in March, of the Fire Gateway website www.fire.gov.uk The new online service makes it easier for anyone to contact their local Fire and Rescue Service and submit online requests for assistance to help prevent fires from happening.

The service is not intended to deal with requests for emergency services but, for the first time, users across the country can now submit online requests for an array of nonemergency services provided by their local Fire and Rescue Services. It is a one stop shop to help prevent fires and thus help save lives.

The Fire Gateway is a national web portal which has been developed for the Fire and Rescue Services in England.

The Fire Gateway allows users to: • self-assess their home fire safety • make an online request for a free home fire safety visits from the local Fire and Rescue Service

• submit online requests for the Fire and Rescue Service to attend events at schools and other community events • request fire safety advice for families and individuals where there are concerns about people starting deliberate fires The website also includes online resources for parents and teachers as well as children, who can enjoy a wide range of interactive games and activities.

However, the new services are not limited to people with internet access at home. Fire and Rescue Services are already developing partnerships with local organizations that have direct contact with people who are most at risk from fire.

The aim is to encourage those providing professional and personal care to use the Fire Gateway to carry out self assessments and, if indicated, subsequently submit requests on behalf of their clients who they feel would benefit from professional fire safety advice.

The benefits of the Fire Gateway will spread to those most at risk from the effects of fire, helping Fire and Rescue Service to reduce fire deaths and injuries.

The Fire Gateway also has tools to help make workplaces safer: • Businesses can complete an online selfassessment to check their progress in complying with new Fire Safety regulations for the workplace • A wide range of fire-related content is available, providing information and advice about the Fire and Rescue Service and links to other relevant websites The Fire Gateway project was initially proposed by the Chief Fire Officers' Association. It has been funded by Communities and Local Government, and developed in partnership with the Chief Fire Officers' Association and the Local Government Association, in response to identified needs from Fire and Rescue Services to enhance the delivery of electronic services to the public.

During the successful pilot period, over 40,000 separate users visited the Fire Gateway, accessing over 2.5 million pages on the site. By the time the website was formally launched in March, 5,500 people had completed a self-assessment questionnaire for workplace fire safety and over 1,500 requests had been submitted by members of the public to their local Fire and Rescue Service. switchedon

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Landlords and fire alarm and e his is the third and final article in the series that has looked at landlords’ responsibilities for electrical and fire safety. It provides information and guidance on the requirements and recommendations for fire alarm systems and emergency lighting systems.

Further significant causes of fire include people hanging clothing over heaters, and the misuse of cigarettes and candles.

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The trend shows that deaths from fire are falling, which is good news.

Part of the armoury for ensuring that this downward trend is maintained is the installation of the correct type of fire alarm system and emergency lighting system, and their regular testing and maintenance.

Fire risks According to statistics provided by Communities and Local Government, around 58,000 fires in dwellings (not just owned by landlords) were recorded in the UK in 2005. It is believed that this is a significant under-estimate, and that only about 20 % of fires are reported to the fire and rescue service.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (the Order) has been introduced, which replaces previous fire safety legislation in England and Wales.

Detailed information on the Order which will be of interest to landlords responsible for common areas in Houses in Multiple Occupation, flats and maisonettes is given in Fire Safety Assessment Guide 3 (sleeping accommodation), which can be downloaded from www.firesafetyguides.communities.gov.uk.

In 2005, 491 deaths and 14,100 injuries were caused in the UK by fire, of which 310 deaths and 11,600 injuries were in the home. About 65% of all fires in the home start in the kitchen, with the source of ignition in 57 % of dwelling fires being cooking appliances.

Deaths per Million People

Additionally, as part of the need for an escape route that enables people to find their way to a place of ‘total safety’, sufficient lighting should be provided.

Assuming that the landlord is the responsible person, he/she should carry out a fire risk assessment which must focus on the safety in case of fire of all ‘relevant persons’.

As part of the risk assessment, the responsible person should ‘evaluate, remove, reduce and protect from risk’.

The appropriate choice of fire alarm system and emergency lighting system will be necessary to reduce and protect from risk.

Fire alarm systems The type of fire alarm system will vary according to the type of building, its use and the type of person(s) using the building. The particular standard that applies to dwellings is BS 5839-6 Fire detection and fire alarm systems for dwellings.

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The guide, which applies to England and Wales only, states that ‘Virtually all premises that this guide applies to will need an electrical fire detection and warning system incorporating automatic fire detection, sounders and manually operated call points (breakglass boxes)’.

It is essential that the occupier of the dwelling (including all occupiers of a house in multiple occupation)

emergency lighting systems understands the operation of the fire alarm system, the action to take in the event of a fire alarm signal, the means of avoidance of false alarms, the procedures for testing the system, and the need for routine maintenance of the system.

All grades of fire alarm system need to be tested periodically to ensure that there has not been any major failure.

This does not require specialist knowledge, and can normally be carried out by the occupier. The routine tests are: • A Grade A system should be tested every week in accordance with the recommendations of clause 44.2 of BS 5839-1: 2002.

This type of system is more likely to be installed in large, multi-occupier premises, such as Houses in Multiple Occupation • All other systems (B through to F) should be tested at least every week by operating all fire alarm devices in the dwelling. For smoke alarms and heat alarms, this test may be carried out by pressing the test button on the device(s) • Where the dwelling has been unoccupied for a period, the occupier should check immediately on reoccupying the dwelling that the system has not suffered total power failure 17 switchedon

• A fire alarm system should be inspected periodically to identify faults and, in more complex systems, to assess the reliability of the system • Grade A systems should be inspected and serviced at periods not exceeding six months in accordance with the recommendations of clause 45 of BS 5839-1: 2002. A certificate should be issued. This inspection should be carried out by a suitably competent person • Grades B and C systems should be serviced every six months in accordance with the supplier’s instructions. This inspection should be carried out by a suitably competent person • Smoke alarms in Grades D, E and F systems should be cleaned periodically in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.

• Where experience shows that undue deposits of dirt and dust are likely to accumulate, then more regular cleaning should take place.

Emergency lighting systems It is necessary for people to be able to find their way out of a dwelling to a place of safety if there is a fire. The escape routes should be free from clutter and have sufficient light to ensure safe escape.

The guidance provided by the government on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that in simple premises i.e. ground and first floor with no floor greater than 200 m2 in area, where the escape routes are simple and straightforward, borrowed light from a dependable source, such as might be provided by a street light, may be acceptable.

Exceptionally, where borrowed light is not available, suitably placed torches may be acceptable for use.

In larger more complex premises, it is likely that a more comprehensive system of automatic emergency escape lighting will be needed to illuminate all escape routes.

The inspection and maintenance regime will vary according to the nature of the installation. Large systems will need to be inspected and maintained by a competent person and comply with the relevant recommendations of the relevant standard(s).

‘around 58,000 fires in dwellings (not just owned by landlords) were recorded in the UK in 2005.’

For smaller installations, where it is likely that there is no central system, emergency lighting luminaires should be inspected and maintained in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.

All 3 of the ‘Landlords’ articles featured in Switched On are available for download from the Council’s website: www.esc.org.uk switchedon

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BEST PRACTICE GUIDES

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s reported in the spring issue of Switched On, the Council is working with other interested parties to produce a series of Best Practice Guides on a range of subjects of interest to specifiers, electrical contractors and installers.

A third guide, Connecting a microgeneration system to a domestic or similar electrical installation, is expected to have been completed by the time this issue of Switched On is distributed, but in any event will be published on our website as soon as possible.

Work on a fourth guide, Fire precautions relating to electrical installations in dwellings, has commenced, and may have been completed before the next issue of Switched On is distributed. Visit our website for the latest information.

In electronic format, these guides are intended to be made available, free of charge, to all interested parties.

The aim of this new guide is:

Consideration is being given to producing further Best Practice Guides on recommendation codes for periodic inspection reports, replacing domestic consumer units, avoiding the dangers of asbestos, and plug-in socket-outlet testers.

Two guides have already been published, and can be downloaded from the ‘Business and Community’ section of our website: • Replacing a consumer unit where lighting circuits have no circuit protective conductor • Safe isolation procedures for low voltage installations

• to provide an overview of microgeneration rated at up to 16 A per phase • to provide information on the legal and contractual issues related specifically to installation of microgenerators (including the relationship of the consumer with the energy supplier and the electricity distributor), and • to give guidance on the specific electrical issues that arise when installing or connecting a microgenerator.

News about the development and availability of these and other guides will be announced in Switched On and on our website in due course.

HOME IMPROVEMENT LEAFLETS FOR SCOTLAND

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he Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA) has produced a series of leaflets giving advice to homeowners who are intending to carry out work in their homes.

Two of these cover work in bathrooms and kitchens in one or two storey houses.

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Another leaflet, Certification: Electrical Installation to BS 7671, has been prepared to explain to homeowners how electrical work carried out by suitably qualified and experienced professionals can be certified as complying with building regulations.

The leaflets can be downloaded from the ‘home improvements’ section of the SBSA website www.sbsa.gov.uk

RESEARCH INTO THE IN-SERVICE RELIABILITY OF RCDs Final report

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ollowing the successful completion in April of the in-situ testing of 30 mA residual current devices (RCDs) in domestic premises, ERA Technology Ltd has been fully engaged in the final parts of the research. These are the examination of RCDs that failed the in-situ tests, and the detailed analysis of results of the field testing in order to determine reliability rates.

Investigation of failed RCDs All the RCDs that failed the on-site tests have been returned to ERA and subjected to detailed forensic analysis to determine the cause of malfunction.

Where appropriate, photographic records have been taken of relevant visual evidence, and any component failure, corrosion or contamination products found inside the devices have been analysed and recorded.

Techniques used to identify the causes of failure included optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis.

The results have been recorded in a database so that the numbers of failures of each type of RCD can be compared, and a detailed report produced.

Analysis of data The results of the in-situ testing of 30 mA RCDs used in domestic premises for supplementary protection against electric shock have been analysed to determine: • the overall reliability rate • reliability rates according to the type (electromechanical or electronic) • reliability rates according to the frequency of testing by consumers using the in-built test button.

For the research to withstand scrutiny, it is important that the results are proven to be statistically valid.

Various statistical analysis techniques are therefore being applied to the results of the insitu testing to ensure they are a representative sample of all 30 mA RCDs installed in domestic premises, to give confidence in the accuracy and validity of the results obtained.

ERA’s final report, expected at the end of June, will contain detailed results of the research, together with conclusions on the overall reliability of 30 mA RCDs installed in domestic premises, and the mechanisms that caused RCDs to fail to operate under in-situ test conditions.

If appropriate, the report will also include recommendations for further environmental testing needed to substantiate, and compare the results against, the conclusions reached in the first, desk-based, phase of the research.

The report will be published on the Council’s website as soon as it becomes available.

We would like to thank all those readers who have taken the time to share their experiences and expressed support for this project. The feedback received to date has proved very useful to our research team.

If you would like to share your RCD experiences with us, there is still an opportunity to do so by emailing: rcds@electricalsafetycouncil.org.uk

GRANTS FOR ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

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s announced in the spring issue of Switched On, the Council’s Electrical Installation Safety Improvements Grants scheme is now being piloted in England and Wales. The scheme is available to a limited range of people who cannot afford to restore the electrical installation in their home to a safe standard.

Applications continue to be received from resident home owners aged 60 and over who are in receipt of a ‘means tested benefit’, and some from resident home owners who have been assessed as having ‘special circumstances’.

Following further discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions, agreement has been reached to extend the coverage of the scheme to some parts of London.

Orders continue to be placed with registered electrical contractors to undertake the formal assessment of the condition of applicants’ electrical installations, and for any urgent remedial works identified by the reports to be undertaken, all at no cost to the home owners.

The Council would like to thank the following organizations for continuing to assist us with the operation of the scheme:

If the scheme is successful and additional funding can be obtained from other organizations, it is hoped that it can be extended to cover Scotland and Northern Ireland in the near future.

If you are interested in being a sponsor for the grants initiative, or you would like further information, please email grants@electricalsafetycouncil.org.uk or telephone us on 0870 040 0561.

• The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Kent and London areas • The Electrical and Electronics Industries Benevolent Association (EEIBA) • British Standards Institution • ELECSA Ltd • NAPIT Registration Ltd • NICEIC Group Ltd. switchedon

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ELECTRICAL SAFETY INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS

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mongst the variety of leaflets and other information we distribute at consumer shows and events is the Z-Card (pictured), which gives top tips on electrical safety in and around the home, advice on how to find a registered installer, and a host of other useful information.

The cards have proved very popular as they are compact and handy to keep for reference.

We would be pleased to provide free of charge to contractors and others up to 500 copies of these cards for distribution to customers and clients.

Larger quantities are available at cost. Please e-mail leaflets@esc.org.uk to request copies, or for further information.

Similar arrangements apply to the supply of all our other leaflets or, alternatively, they can be downloaded for printing from our website.

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR FINED £100,000 OVER FATAL ERROR

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he need to improve working procedures in order to ensure electrical safety on construction sites was highlighted again in May, when an electrical contractor was ordered to pay a total of over £133,000 in fines and costs at the Central Criminal Court in London.

The prosecution followed an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the electrocution of one of the company’s employees, when a fellow electrician energized a circuit on which he was working.

It was found that the company had no systems in place on the construction site for

safely isolating and locking off power supplies to prevent them being energized inadvertently. The only measure taken was taping over circuit-breakers, which was wholly ineffective.

Copies of the guide, which was published in March, are free to download from the Council’s website (under the ‘business and community’ section), as well as from those of ECA and SELECT.

To help prevent similar tragic events, all contractors reading this article are urged to acquaint themselves with the Council’s Best Practice Guide on Safe isolation procedures for low voltage installations which, amongst other things, specifically warns that the practice of placing insulating tape over a circuit-breaker to prevent inadvertent operation is not a safe means of isolation.

Also free to download from the Council’s website are copies of the ‘Electrical safety in construction’ leaflet (in both English and Polish), which is intended to be read by all construction site staff, not just electricians.

Alternatively, up to 500 printed copies of the English version of the leaflet can be obtained free of charge by emailing a request to: leaflets@esc.org.uk

BACK ISSUES OF SWITCHED ON All the previous issues of Switched On are available to read or download from the ‘business and community’ section of our website, www.esc.org.uk

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