Electrical safety at home
Electricity provides power to our homes and appliances, but it can be dangerous, keep a few simple safety tips in mind when you are working with electrical appliances around the home.
- Switch off an appliance before you unplug.
- Care for your cords — replace any frayed or brittle cords.
- If you receive an electric shock irrespective of the severity, seek medical advice.
- Watch out for wires — always stand well clear, warn others and us immediately if you spot a fallen electrical wire.
- Liquids and electricity don't mix — never take portable appliances like radios, heaters, phones and hairdryers into wet areas like showers or baths and don't spray cleaners and solvents on switches or sockets.
Working outside with electrical equipment
If you are using outdoor electrical equipment it’s important to have a residual current device (RCD) and know how to use it safely. Worksafe information about RCD safety(external link)
Home electrical DIY
We recommend that for all wiring and appliance repair work, you find a registered electrician or electrical contracting company.
Installing your own wiring or fixing appliances is not as simple as it may seem, and puts you at risk of electric shock or causing a fire. Also, if you sell the house or appliance later, you may be liable under law for any consequence of your workmanship.
If you do decide to undertake the work yourself, Worksafe(external link) has good information that will help you understand what you can and cannot do yourself.
You must comply with the following national standards:
Electricity Act 1992 (external link)section 79 defines who exactly can do electrical work listed in regulation 6A of the Electricity Safety Regulations 2010.
NZECP 50: 2004 New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice(external link) for Repair and Maintenance of Domestic Electrical Appliances by the Owner of the Appliance.
Electricity Act 1992 Section 80(external link) defines who exactly can do electrical work listed in regulation 79 of the Electricity Safety Regulations 2010.
NZECP 51: 2004 New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice(external link) for Homeowner/Occupier’s Electrical Wiring Work in Domestic Installations. You should also comply with the following safety precautions:
The following safety precautions should be followed when carrying out any electrical work:
- make sure the power is turned off.
- carry out proper safety tests.
- do not connect the wiring yourself — this must be done by an authorised electrical inspector.
- do not work on mains or main switchboards — a registered electrician must do this work and provide the appropriate testing results.