NHBC Tips for Home Safety 08/11/06
To keep you and your new home in top shape, NHBC, the standard setting body and leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes in the UK, is offering the following tips for the safe running of your home.
- Electricity - under recent legislation electrical alterations must be carried out by a government-approved electrician. The National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICIEC) keep a register of approved firms and should be able to check your electrician is up to their standards.
- Take particular care when using electrical garden tools and appliances outdoors as damp and humidity can create a health hazard or simply cause machinery to short circuit. Be careful to avoid damage to electrical flexes and make sure you use a British Standard safety plug to cut the power in case the cable is damaged or cut.
- Before fixing pictures and other items to walls always check for buried pipes and cables using a detector. The best kind of detectors will be able to pinpoint pipes and also stud work in your home.
- Fire safety - check smoke alarms are working on a weekly basis by pressing the test button. Use a duster or gently run a vacuum cleaner nozzle over the alarm to keep it free of dust and grime.
- It¿s a good idea to know where any keys to windows and doors are kept and familiarise yourself with how window locks work, just in case you have to use them as an escape route in an emergency.
- If your home is fitted with fire doors, these are often heavier than standard internal doors and fitted with a self-closing device, for your own safety these doors shouldn't be removed or propped open.
- If you smell gas or suspect a gas leak - extinguish all naked flames, turn off the gas at the meter and open all doors and windows. Call the gas company on its emergency number - you can find this easily in the phone book - and don¿t turn electrical switches on or off as they may produce a spark and ignite the gas.
- Using ladders - when using ladders for DIY jobs it's important to tie them to something rigid to prevent them slipping. Never lean away from the ladder to reach areas either side of where you are working. When putting ladders up make sure they have a solid base to stand on which won't move or slip, ideally use a ladder with rubber feet as this helps prevent slippage.
ENDS
Notes to Editors: NHBC is the leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes in the UK. It was established 70 years ago as a non-profit distributing company. NHBC's primary purpose is to help raise standards in the new house-building industry and provide consumer protection for new house buyers.
NHBC's ten-year 'Buildmark' warranty covers more than 80 % of homes built in the UK and has protected more than 6 million homes.
NHBC helps raise standards by:
- registering builders who agree to comply with NHBC's Rules and Standards
- setting and maintaining construction standards for new homes
- inspecting at key stages of construction
- providing 'Buildmark,' the most comprehensive warranty and insurance cover for homes in the UK
- offering building control services in England and Wales
- providing a range of services, including technical information, training, health and safety, engineering and energy rating services for new homes and housing-related sectors
