Every year, innocent lives are lost and people are seriously injured as a consequence of the unsafe use of electricity. Some of the biggest contributors to these electricity-related incidents are:  contacts with low-hanging electrical cables and fallen power lines, illegal connections, vandalism, cable theft, substandard wiring, overloading of plugs etc.

When you have limited plug points and connect multiple appliances – like your TV, kettle and stove - to one plug, you are overloading the plug, which is highly dangerous. A single plug has a limited power supply capability and will have to supply more current than it is rated for to run all the appliances plugged in to it. When this happens, your power supply could be cut. Also, when the appliances run for a long time on the single socket, they can overheat and cause a fire or shock anyone who touches them.

To be safe from any danger, use a multi-plug adaptor but do not use all the appliances at the same time. The safest solution is to get your local trained electrician to install more plug points in your home.

Here are some safety tips on the use of plugs and extension cords:

• Never use an extension cord while it is twisted (coiled) as it can overheat and cause a fire.
• Never pull a plug out by the cord as it can damage it or expose wires, which can be dangerous. Pull it out by gripping the plug itself and make sure the power is switched off first.
• Never connect multiple appliances to a single plug point
• Never put electrical wires directly into a wall plug socket as this can shock you.
• Only use SABS approved plugs, extension leads and multi-plugs.
• Switch off at the wall socket, before pulling the plug out.
• Do not stick fingers into plug sockets.
• If there are babies in the house, ensure that wall sockets are covered with a safety cap, keeping the area safe for babies to play in.

Issued by Eskom