Is your home safe?
A safety switch is a device that quickly switches off the electricity supply if an electrical fault is detected, reducing the risk of electricity-related fires, electric shock, injury and death. A safety switch can detect a fault in an electrical circuit and switch the power off in as little as 0.3 seconds. By law, safety switches protecting power points and lighting circuits must be installed in all new homes built, and in homes where electrical circuits are altered or added to. This law was introduced in 1991, so if your home was built before this time, it is likely it is not protected by safety switches. Additionally, recent laws were passed making it compulsory for safety switches to be used in the workplace to protect employees. Fuses and circuit breakers protect against short circuits and overloads, but only safety switches protect people from electric shock! The technical name for a safety switch is a Residual Current Device (RCD) . They are mounted in your switchboard, by a licensed electrician, in place of the old fuses or circuit breakers.
You should test your safety switches a couple of times a year to ensure they are in good working order. An easy way to remember is to test them when you change your clock for daylight savings.
You can test a safety switch by pressing its test button.In the picture to the right,this button is the small rectangular blue one. The safety switch should immediately trip to the 'off' position. You will then need to simply return the switch to the 'on' position.
Gosford Electrical Services use only quality safety switches made by Hager. These units are one of the best if not the best on the market. If your unsure if your home is "safe" then give us a call for some free advice. Gosford Electrical Services can upgrade your switchboard with safety switches for a great price. Once installed, we then test to Australian standards giving your homes wiring a thorough health check. You will then receive an official test report ensuring our work is compliant and safe,ensuring your family is protected!
