Saturday 6.30pm: the most dangerous time to be in your home

Blundering adults in the South West have over 6 million home accidents each year, each one causing physical injury or property damage, with Saturday at 6.30pm the most dangerous time to be at home in the region.

A study by Electrical Safety First has identified that our risky behaviours are leading to a huge number of accidents, with the most common accident in the South West calculated to be cooking burns.

With support from property expert Phil Spencer, the Charity is launching ‘Home Safe’, a campaign to remind residents in the South West that even the smallest mishap can lead to devastating consequences.

The kitchen was identified as the most dangerous room in the house in the South West, but all rooms revealed their hazards – accidents ranged from hair straightener burns and drilling through wires, to even more major concerns, such as gas leaks, burst pipes and kitchen fires. Over one in ten of us (16%) in the South West admit we’ve burnt ourselves on an electrical item, over half of us (54%) have injured ourselves while cooking and over one in ten (11%) have experienced a fire in the home.

The Charity says this is the result of the increasing number of unnecessary risks we take , which range from taking batteries out of smoke alarms to fixing appliances that are still plugged in and trying to dry objects in the microwave .

The consequences can be serious – nationally, electricity alone causes 70 deaths a year and 350,000 serious injuries – and the number of fires has increased by 10% in the last year. House fires, (a third of which were caused by the misuse of electrical appliances) resulted in almost a billion pounds worth of damage last year  and caused 258 deaths , of which 146 occurred in homes without a working smoke alarm.

Emma Apter, Head of Communications at Electrical Safety First, says:  “Our Home Safe campaign highlights that everyday behaviours are putting people in the South West in danger. Not only is it important to use registered tradesmen for gas, electrics and plumbing, to keep your home in good shape, but it is also vital to cut out the smaller risks than can still have devastating consequences. Actions such as removing batteries from smoke alarms, blocking microwave vents and absentminded DIYing can all lead to injury or worse. We are asking everyone to be home safe, for themselves and their families.”

Phil Spencer, star of Location, Location, Location, said: “I’ve helped hundreds of people find their dream homes but have also seen some shocking properties filled to the brim with shoddy electrics, bad plumbing and frightening gas fittings. However, you don’t even need a house of horrors to have an accident; a split second of risky behaviour can turn your dream home into a nightmare. Be home safe by visiting the Electrical Safety First website today.”

Electrical Safety First has created a ‘House of Horrors’ video demonstrating the risks we take around the house. To view the video and for more information about electrical, gas, or water safety in your home, visit www.electricalsafetyfirst.org/homesafe