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During the holiday season, many households increase their use of electrical items, from Christmas tree lights to newly gifted gadgets. However, recent fatal house fires in Northern Ireland have raised significant safety concerns about the use of electrical equipment at home. In one weekend, four individuals tragically lost their lives in separate house fires across locations including north Belfast, Bangor, west Belfast, and Lisburn. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) reported that three of these fires were connected to electrical devices, prompting experts to urge caution to prevent similar incidents.
The surge in online shopping, particularly for electrical products, has introduced another layer of risk. The charity Electrical Safety First (ESF) has highlighted a rapid increase in counterfeit and unsafe electrical goods entering UK homes through online-only sellers. These products may not meet UK safety regulations and could be fire hazards. Karter Kane, the policy and public affairs adviser for Northern Ireland at ESF, emphasized that online marketplaces do not have the same regulatory oversight as traditional high street retailers. Kane advises consumers to purchase from reputable high street shops or their authorized online stores to ensure product safety.
ESF conducts independent safety tests on electronic items bought online and found over 50 dangerous or non-compliant products in 2023 alone. Examples included a food blender that emitted smoke and a hairstyler posing an electric shock risk. Following these findings, platforms such as Amazon Marketplace, eBay, Wish.com, and AliExpress removed several hazardous products after ESF raised its safety concerns. Kane explained that many online-only electrical items come from third-party sellers worldwide, complicating enforcement of safety standards. Although UK laws prohibit the sale of unsafe goods, these rules are not consistently applied. To address this, ESF is campaigning for legislation requiring online marketplaces to uphold the same legal responsibilities as physical retailers in guaranteeing product safety.
Another common electrical hazard highlighted is the overuse of extension leads. Extension cables are often essential when multiple devices need power, but incorrect use can cause overheating and increase fire risks. Ms. Kane explained that “daisy chaining”—plugging multiple extension leads into each other—is a frequent but unsafe practice, particularly during festive times. Additionally, people may plug numerous devices into a single extension without considering the combined power draw, potentially surpassing the recommended amp limit. Devices such as heaters, kettles, hairdryers, and cooking appliances consume high amounts of electricity, adding to this risk. A typical socket is rated for 13 amps, and exceeding this can be dangerous. Ms. Kane stresses the need to manage power usage prudently to avoid electrical hazards at home
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