As more and more people across Pembrokeshire continue to work at home and adapt to a new routine, many may be putting themselves at unnecessary risk due to unsafe electrical setups and practices at home, says local Assembly Member Paul Davies. Mr Davies has joined with leading consumer Charity, Electrical Safety First, who conducted research across Wales into the dangers to which remote workers across the country may be unknowingly exposing themselves.

Electrical Safety First is recommending those working from home to take advantage of the Charity’s Socket Overload Calculator to check they’re not plugging too many appliances in at once, and to pay extra attention to their electrical safety during their period of remote working.

Mr Davies said “I know that many people across Pembrokeshire are home working, self-isolating or social distancing at this time but we must remember that this can increase the chances of unsafe use of electricity and that’s why I’ve joined with the charity, Electrical Safety First to help raise awareness of easy steps you can take to seriously reduce the risk to you and your loved ones.

“It’s understood that almost a third of people working at home are either unaware of the risks of overloading plug sockets or how to check whether they’re doing so. Therefore, it’s so important to check electrical appliances and please remember that extension leads can only handle so much power – plug too many things in and the chances are they will blow.”

Robert Jervis-Gibbons, Public Affairs Manager at Electrical Safety First, commented: “We are really grateful to Paul for joining with us to raise awareness of the safe use of electricity when working from home. With more than three quarters of those in Wales who are currently working from home doing so for the first time due to COVID-19, it’s unsurprising that not everyone will have had a chance to ensure their work stations are free from electrical hazards.

“Take a few minutes to make sure you’re not daisy-chaining extension leads or overloading your plug sockets and that you are charging your devices on hard, non-flammable surfaces. We should  all pay extra attention to  electrical safety during our period of remote working. For more detail as well as some helpful tools, head to www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk ”