Most of us use electricity every day - it's an easy luxury to take for granted, and in doing so, we often forget just how dangerous electricity can be. As May is Electrical Safety Month, here are a few stories to remind us of exactly what can happen when electricity is misused and safety regulations are ignored:

HGV Driver Electrocuted by Overhead Power Lines
from hse.gov.uk, 12 January 2015

Nigel Fox, a 59-year-old man from Northamptonshire, was tragically killed when the lorry he was driving struck an 11,000 volt power line on a farm in Salisbury. The farm's owner, Tony Slade, was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,609; in a press release, the Health and Safety Executive stated that "Mr Slade had made no attempt to remove or reduce the serious risk associated with the power line crossing the yard", going on to suggest that Slade should have considered "diverting the cable or providing signs or barriers to warn visitors of its existence".

Apprentice Electrician Killed by Exposed Electrical Bars
from rochdaleonline.co.uk, 22 April 2015

Nathan Brown, a 19-year-old apprentice electrician from Rochdale, was testing a set of lights when he came into contact with an unprotected set of busbars and received a lethal electric shock. The shock sent Brown falling head-first onto a roof below, but a pathologist stated that he "probably suffered a cardiac arrest before falling to the ground" - that is, he was killed by the electricity, not by the fall. Brown had been working with his father David, who in the aftermath of the accident made this statement: "As far as I am aware the busbar should have been marked up in a sleeve with the marking 'danger high voltage'. I have never come across a busbar not sleeved and marked with an appropriate sign."

Bradford Man Hospitalised After Using Unsafe Testing Equipment
from hse.gov.uk, 24 January 2014

An unnamed 22-year-old from Bradford needed skin grafts on both hands after touching an exposed conductor and receiving a 415 volt electric shock. The conductors were part of some testing equipment that the man was using to test a transformer; his employer, Wilson Power Solutions Ltd, was fined £6,500 for giving the trainee "unsafe, inappropriate and poorly maintained equipment to test an electrical transformer with no training or supervision".

So, how can you prevent accidents like these in your workplace?

• Use appropriate warning signs
• Keep electrical equipment in good condition
• Before allowing an employee to work with electricity, ensure that he/she is properly trained to do so

Do you have something to say about electrical safety? Join our #ElectricalSafetyMonth conversation on Twitter.

People throughout the United States of America are currently observing National Electrical Safety Month, an annual event that aims to raise awarness of electrical hazards and the potentially tragic consequences thereof. National Electrical Safety Month is organised by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), and the initiative has been recognised by, among others, US president Barack Obama. In a message bearing his signature, the president highlights many of the hazards that accompany the use of electricity, going on to state that "it is up to all of us to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our homes, schools, and workplaces from the dangers of electrical hazards."

While National Electrical Safety Month is an American observance, we at Label Source think that the whole world could benefit from marking the date and thinking a little harder about electrical safety. The closest thing we have in the UK seems to be Electrical Fire Safety Week (held each year in November), but this is both shorter and more specifc than the American initiative. Throughout the month of May, we'll be doing all we can to improve everybody's attitude towards electrical safety, and we'd be thrilled if everybody reading this did the same!

Here are just a few of the ways to boost electrical safety in your home and workplace:

• Leave electrical work to qualified professionals
• Abide by the manufacturer's safety instructions when using electrical appliances
• Use the appropriate safety signs and warning labels to identify electrical hazards
• Keep your electrical cables in good condition and label them to prevent accidents 

From now until the end of the month, we'll be using the #ElectricalSafetyMonth hashtag on Twitter and other social networks. Follow @LabelSourceUK now to keep up with our latest posts!

Almost every business has a portable appliance which is required by health and safety legislation to be regularly tested to ensure it meets health and safety standards. The correct terminology for this procedure is Portable Appliance Testing or PAT. Once tested, each appliance must be identified and labelled with a Portable Appliance Test Label or Sticker or PAT labels/stickers. PAT test labels are applied to identify whether or not an appliance has passed a standard portable appliance test as required by health and safety legislation, andsome of these PAT test stickers can even state when the appliance's next test is due. 

Label Source's extensive range of PAT test labels and stickers are extremely durable and though we believe you simply can't put a price on health and safety measures, they are very reasonably-priced indeed! Our range of PAT test labels can be divided into the four following categories:

Electrical Plug Labels 

 
Electrical Cable Wrap Labels Electrical safety tested, failed cable wrap label

 
Portable Appliance Test Record Card Portable appliance test card

 
Electrical Test Equipment Labels Out of compliance, do not use test required label equipment label 

If you're not sure about which of your appliances are required to undergo a PAT test, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 have detailed portable appliance regulations. 

Some of the appliances which need to be tested and will require PAT test labels (if used on industrial, commercial, distribution or retail premises) are the following:

• Computers, printers and other IT equipment 
• Fridges/Freezers 
• Kettles
• Microwaves/Cookers
• Irons
• Vending Machines
• Table Lamps
• Telephones 
• Cables associated with any of these electrical items 

If you have an appliance which falls under any of these categories, then make sure you get your PAT test labels or stickers from Label Source today. 

If you can't find the PAT testing stickers that you need, simply call one of the Label Source team now on 0800 3761 693.

Electricity can kill! If hazards from electricity in the workplace are not clearly displayed, accidents can occur and some may even lead to death, as well as causing damage to property. People working within certain industries can be exposed to electricity more than others, and these are the people who are more likely to have an accident, especially if they are not informed of the dangers, and take the necessary precautions. However, virtually all companies have exposure to electricity to some extent, particularly with computers and printers.

It was reported that well over 100 accidents a year in the UK are due to electric shocks, with 89 serious injuries and 6 fatalities (in 2010/2011). Exposure to live electrical equipment can cause respiratory failure, heart attacks, electrical burn injuries and seizures. Other physical injuries can be caused by tripping over trailing wires or leads.

If there is any potential hazards in the workplace then count on us for your electrical safety signs. Our signs and labels will help identify the dangers, clearly informing and warning staff or building users of the potential risks from electricity. Our labels and signs inform workers of the voltage of the appliance (whether high or low voltage), live wires and terminals, electrical cables (overhead or underground), safety connections, isolation and safety devices, electrical arcing, and inspection labels, amongst others. An electric shock notice is also available to help inform workers of the actions needed to be taken in the event of injuries from contact with powered equipment, with recommended treatment guides including resuscitation, location of first aid equipment and emergency contact details.

So if you come into contact with electrical supply equipment, such as switchgear or busbars, cables or conductors, caution should be taken to make sure that the power source is disconnected. All cables, plugs, sockets and isolators should be maintained and checked regularly by competent personnel.

Make sure your workplace remains safe from electrical hazards, with our range of signs and labels providing a constant visual reminder of the need to take care when in contact with electrical equipment.