How safe is your work from home setup?

01 April 2020

How safe is your work from home setup?

Electrical Safety First finds many people working from home due to pandemic may be overloading sockets, daisy-chaining and charging devices on beds

As huge numbers of people working from home adapt to a new working routine, many may be putting themselves at unnecessary risk due to unsafe electrical setups and practices, a Charity is warning.

Research conducted by consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First has looked into the dangers to which a nation of newly remote workers may be unknowingly exposing themselves.

With increased use of electrical equipment in many homes such as work laptops, tablets, phones and heaters, a new survey by the Charity has found more than two thirds of those currently working from home are using extension leads or adaptors with the electronic device they’re working on[1] and 38 per cent of them have more appliances plugged into one than they usually would.[2]  

Worryingly, more than 1 in 3 are either unaware of the risks of overloading plug sockets or how to check whether they’re doing so.[3] By using extension leads and adaptors to plug additional devices into a socket, there is a danger that they could be overloaded, creating a fire risk.  

Even more concerning is the 44 per cent of those currently working from home using extension leads or adapters as part of their setup who admit to ‘daisy-chaining’ them together.[4] Daisy-chaining involves plugging one extension into another in order to reach further or plug more appliances in, and is advised against in all circumstances.

Another issue identified by the Charity is bad behaviour in the bedroom, with more than half of those surveyed either often or sometimes placing an electrical item such as a laptop or phone on their bed whilst it is charging as part of their work-from-home setup.[5] This can also create a fire risk due to the potential of the item overheating. Electrical items should only ever be left on hard, non-flammable surfaces unless switched off and not charging.

Electrical Safety First is recommending those working from home 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.

Lesley Rudd, Chief Executive of Electrical Safety First, commented: With 70 per cent of those currently working from home doing so for the first time due to COVID-19,[6] 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 ”

 

Rick Hylton, Lead for Home Safety at the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), echoed the Charity’s concerns: "As many people set up temporary home offices and adjust to a new way of working, there could potentially be a rise in electrical fires. So, the fire service ask that you check you have working smoke alarms and a practised escape plan in case there is a fire. But also make sure you follow the simple advice  to reduce your risk of an electrical fire. These fires are often preventable and the advice will not only keep you working safely at home but reduce the pressure on the fire service.”

 

Electrical Safety Firsts tips on working safely from home:

  • Don’t charge electrical items on beds. Always charge on a hard, flat, non-flammable surface. Avoid overloading sockets and extension leads, use our online socket calculator to check
  • Keep your workstation tidy. Many may be working in a small workspace and it’s important to keep your hot and cold drinks away from electrical items.
  • Be mindful of cables, they can present a trip hazard to you and others in your home
  • Don’t « daisy chain » extension leads. If your cable doesn’t reach don’t plug it into another adaptor. Move your workspace closer to the socket or use a longer lead.
  • Be mindful at lunchtime. With many of us cooking lunch at home for the time being it’s important not to get distracted by emails or work calls that may result in the hob being left on, unattended.

Editors’ Notes:

  • Electrical Safety First is a UK Charity dedicated to reducing and preventing damage, injuries and death caused by electricity. More information can be found at electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk
  • Research was undertaken from 19 to 25 March 2020 by Censuswide with a sample of 3,000 employed adults across the United Kingdom, all of whom are currently working from home.

 

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[1] Research commissioned by Electrical Safety First and conducted by Censuswide surveying 3,000 people who are currently working from home in the UK, found that 68.5% of respondents answered ‘Yes’ to the question ‘In your home working setup, are you currently using any extension leads or adaptors with the electronic device you are working on?’

[2] Above research found that 38% of respondents answered ‘More’ to the question ‘During your time working from home, do you have more or less appliances plugged into an extension lead or adaptor than usual?’,

[3] Above research found that 35.8% of those surveyed who are currently using extension leads or adaptors in their home working setup answered either ‘I am unaware of the potential risks or how to check that I'm not overloading’ or ‘I don't think there are any potential risks that might be involved with plugging appliances into the same socket using a multi socket adaptor’ to the question ‘Are you currently aware of any potential risks that might be involved with plugging appliances into the same socket using a multi socket adaptor and how to check if you are overloading the socket?’

[4] Above research found that 44.1% of those surveyed who are currently using an extension lead or adaptors on the device they are working on, answered ‘yes’ to the question ‘Do you currently have any extension leads or adaptors ‘daisy-chained’ together as part of your working from home set up (plugging one extension into another, in order to reach further or plug more appliances in)?’

[5] Above research found that 56% of those surveyed answered either ‘often’ or ‘sometimes’ to the question ‘During your time working from home, how often do you place an electrical device such as a laptop, phone or tablet on your bed while it is plugged in and charging?’

[6] Above research found that 70% of respondents answered ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Has the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic led to you working from home for the first time?’