How Safe is Your Work From Home Setup?
Electrical Safety First finds many people in Wales working from home due to pandemic may be overloading sockets, daisy-chaining and charging devices on beds
As huge numbers of people in Wales adapt to a new working routine, many may be putting themselves at unnecessary risk due to unsafe electrical setups and practices at home, a Charity is warning.
Research conducted by consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First has looked into the dangers to which a nation of newly remote workers may be unknowingly exposing themselves.
With increased use of electrical equipment in many homes such as work laptops, tablets, phones and heaters, a new survey by the Charity has found more than two thirds of those in Wales currently working from home are using extension leads or adaptors with the electronic device they’re working on [1] and almost half of them have more appliances plugged into one than they usually would [2].
Worryingly, almost a third are either unaware of the risks of overloading plug sockets or how to check whether they’re doing so [3]. By using extension leads and adaptors to plug additional devices into a socket, there is a danger that they could be overloaded, creating a fire risk.
Even more concerning is the fact that over half of those in Wales currently working from home using extension leads or adapters as part of their setup who admit to ‘daisy-chaining’ them together [4]. Daisy-chaining involves plugging one extension into another in order to reach further or plug more appliances in, and is advised against in all circumstances.
Another issue identified by the Charity is bad behaviour in the bedroom, with 52 per cent of those surveyed in Wales either often or sometimes placing an electrical item such as a laptop or phone on their bed whilst it is charging as part of their work-from-home setup [5]. This can also create a fire risk due to the potential of the item overheating. Electrical items should only ever be left on hard, non-flammable surfaces unless switched off and not charging.
Electrical Safety First is recommending those working from home take advantage of the Charity’s Socket Overload Calculator to check they’re not plugging too many appliances in at once, and to pay extra attention to their electrical safety during their period of remote working.
Robert Jervis-Gibbons, Public Affairs Manager at Electrical Safety First, commented: “With more than three quarters of those in Wales who are currently working from home doing so for the first time due to COVID-19, [6] it’s unsurprising that not everyone will have had a chance to ensure their work stations are free from electrical hazards.
Take a few minutes to make sure you’re not daisy-chaining extension leads or overloading your plug sockets and that you are charging your devices on hard, non-flammable surfaces. We should all pay extra attention to electrical safety during our period of remote working. For more detail as well as some helpful tools, head to www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk ”
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Head of Community Safety and Risk Reduction, Group Manager Dean Loader said: ‘ Whether you are home working, self-isolating or social distancing, we know you’ll probably be spending more time at home over the next few weeks. This could increase the chances of you having a fire in your home. Fortunately, by taking some easy steps, you can seriously reduce the risk to you and your loved ones. Remember to check electrical appliances, don’t overload sockets and NEVER use faulty items or white goods. Extension leads can only handle so much power – plug too many things in and the chances are they will blow. Faulty goods can also be a big issue, too. If your washing machine or tumble dryer starts playing up – stop using it and get it checked immediately. During what are very challenging times for us all we’d ask that, as well as taking on board this advice yourself, you pass the messages on to your friends, neighbours and relatives. Be assured our firefighters stand ready to respond to 999 calls, across South Wales, as and when needed.”
Electrical Safety Firsts tips on working safely from home:
Editors’ Notes:
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[1]. Research commissioned by Electrical Safety First and conducted by Censuswide surveying 3,000 people who are currently working from home in the UK, 79 of whom were in Wales, found that 68.7% of respondents in Wales answered ‘Yes’ to the question ‘In your home working setup, are you currently using any extension leads or adaptors with the electronic device you are working on?’
[2]. Above research found that 48.7% of respondents in Wales answered ‘More’ to the question ‘During your time working from home, do you have more or less appliances plugged into an extension lead or adaptor than usual?’,
[3]. Above research found that 30.4% of those surveyed in Wales who are currently using extension leads or adaptors in their home working setup answered either ‘I am unaware of the potential risks or how to check that I’m not overloading’, ‘I am aware of the potential risks but unaware how to check that I’m not overloading’ or ‘I don’t think there are any potential risks that might be involved with plugging appliances into the same socket using a multi socket adaptor’ to the question ‘Are you currently aware of any potential risks that might be involved with plugging appliances into the same socket using a multi socket adaptor and how to check if you are overloading the socket?’
[4]. Above research found that 51.9% of those surveyed in Wales who are currently using an extension lead or adaptors on the device they are working on, answered ‘yes’ to the question ‘Do you currently have any extension leads or adaptors ‘daisy-chained’ together as part of your working from home set up (plugging one extension into another, in order to reach further or plug more appliances in)?’
[5]. Above research found that 52.2% of those surveyed in Wales answered either ‘often’ or ‘sometimes’ to the question ‘During your time working from home, how often do you place an electrical device such as a laptop, phone or tablet on your bed while it is plugged in and charging?’
[6]. Above research found that 75.65% of respondents answered ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Has the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic led to you working from home for the first time?’