By Steven Birch
Families have been warned to make sure they take precautions before putting up their fairy lights for Christmas.
With the Christmas season now in full swing it is a dangerous time for electrical accidents, which could not only delay Christmas decorating but cause damage and lead to higher home insurance costs.
The Electrical Safety Council has warned that 13 million homes in the UK do not have a Residual Current Device (RCD), which is a switch that turns of an electrical current instantly if there's a fault.
This is depite figures showing that electrical accidents kill 70 people every year and account for 1.2 million injuries, so the charity has warned homeowners to make sure they make the necessary precautions beforehand.
Phil Buckle, director of the Electrical Safety Council, has urged people to secure their family's safety by checking if they have RCD protection and buy a plug-in RCD for less than £10 if they have not.
He said: "An RCD is a life-saving device that quickly turns the electricity off when danger arises to reduce the risk of death or serious injury.
"Check that your Christmas lights are not damaged or broken before use and look out for loose wires. And unplug them before you go to bed or go out - even Christmas lights need a break.
"Be careful not to overload your plug sockets with new electrical Christmas presents," he added.
Help with checking whether you have RCD protection is available on the Electrical Safety Council's website, www.esc.org.uk.
