Some interesting stats I've just read.

[electromonkey]

I thought I'd share this with you guys and gals.

It's from ECA Today where a study was carried out in the UK (I don't know by who) in relation to electrical installations and electrical appliances in the home. It summarises that "People in the UK expose themselves and their families to potential fatal accidents in the home through simple electrical blunders, because of an alarming lack of knowledge about the real danger of electricity".

So here goes...........

In the past year almost 1 million people have repaired an appliance while it is still plugged in - despite the fact that this can result in fatal or serious injury.

12.2 million (yes twelve point two million) people knowingly use faulty plugs or sockets.

1.5 million ignored burning smells coming from an appliance or socket.

2 million people trailed cables near hot surfaces or cookers.

350,000 people are seriously injured each year through everyday use of electricity.

Of those people, at least 1 will die every week.

70% of the people surveyed, didn't know what an RCD was.

Only 49% of UK homes have adequate RCD protection.

The Electrical Safety Council is launching a free smartphone app to help combat this. I can't help think that that money could be better spent.

Thanks for reading.

Any thoughts?

 

[Engineer54]

Propaganda!! A perfect example of why you should never take notice of anything based on Statistic's...

This Crap is going to be used to promote whatever organisation produced it!!!

 

[Deleted member 26818]

What I find worrying, is the statement: "Of those people, at least 1 will die every week."
Thats more in one year that the total number for the five years between April 1st 2001 and March 31st 2006.
When did Part P start?

 

[electromonkey]

Propaganda!! A perfect example of why you should never take notice of anything based on Statistic's...

This Crap is going to be used to promote whatever organisation produced it!!!

As I said E54, it's from ECA today. I'm fairly sure it's a magazine that goes out to those in the electrical industry, not Joe Public. I agree with you regarding "Lies, damn lies and statistics" but I don't think 1 person being killed a week or 350,000 injured from electricity is something that can be dismissed out of hand. If anything, those two stats in particular should be used more readily in promoting the dangers of electricity.

I d

 

[electromonkey]

What I find worrying, is the statement: "Of those people, at least 1 will die every week."
Thats more in one year that the total number for the five years between April 1st 2001 and March 31st 2006.
When did Part P start?

Jan 1st 2005

 

[wildgoose]

The Government doesn't take home electrical safety seriously enough does it ?? Any idiot can buy whatever they want from across the counter - no regulation. In B&Q, they regularly do special deals on consumer units (Shopfloor Prices not Tradepoint). Upgrade your own consumer unit for only £50 - easy peasy !!!!!

We need to get on the same footing as the Gas Safe Fitters. Buying their stuff across the counter is much more difficult - why??????

In summary - bring on the scare mongering if it means the 'weekend have a go heroes' get an electrician to do it instead.

 

[electromonkey]

I've just looked up some other stats regarding deaths from electrocution and as spinlondon pointed out, they do differ. The article I read does have a higher figure and like I said, I don't know where these figures came from.

If Mr DIY is working in his home and changes a light fitting, gets a belt and is thrown from his ladder and kills or injures himself how would those stats be recorded? I'd assume it would be classed as a fall from a ladder rather than electrically related.

 

[Engineer54]

As I said E54, it's from ECA today. I'm fairly sure it's a magazine that goes out to those in the electrical industry, not Joe Public. I agree with you regarding "Lies, damn lies and statistics" but I don't think 1 person being killed a week or 350,000 injured from electricity is something that can be dismissed out of hand. If anything, those two stats in particular should be used more readily in promoting the dangers of electricity.

I d

Not when they are based on someones imagination!! Think about it, look at these figures again, exactly how did they come up with 12 million for example, or any of the other blown up figures come to that?? These statistical so called studies are all based around fanciful manipulation of figures that actually mean ''Nothing''!!!

If Governments can manipulate figures and publish them as statistic's, do you honestly think that a profit based organisation won't or can't do the same??
That old saying, "Lies, damn lies and statistics" is true today as it was when it was written, maybe even more so today!!!

 

[electromonkey]

1 in 54 Electrician Forum members got out of bed on the wrong side this morning.

 

[Specialist]

12.2 Million people knowingly use Faulty plugs or sockets ? So they must have done a pretty huge survey. Wonder if anyone else knows about this survey or if it's just the ECA have done a small survey & then done a Statistical Projection based on the answers to come up with their figures Hmmm.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Jan 1st 2005

Er.. no it was 6th April 2006.

 

[electromonkey]

That's what I thought. I think the written summary is pretty accurate though.

How many damaged sockets or switches have you seen in a home when working in a house? I have no idea. I know I see plenty though.

 

[electromonkey]

Er.. no it was 6th April 2006.

Another duff statistic eh?

 

[Marvo]

Er.. no it was 6th April 2006.

I would have guessed the 1st April but that would be too good to be true

 

[Deleted member 26818]

This is a response to a question asked in the House of Commons, by an MP who I can't remember.
The question was in relation to the number of deaths in the 5 years before the introduction of Part P:

Jim Fitzpatrick (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department of Trade and Industry) | Hansard source

The numbers of fatalities over the last five years are shown in the following table.

Fatalities due to home accidents in Great Britain caused by use or misuse of electrical equipment and electrical installations
Number of home accidents
2001-02 (1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002) 4
2002-03 (1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003) 5
2003-04 (1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004) 3
2004-05 (1 April 2004 to 31 March 2005) 10
2005-06 (1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006) 13