You may use a wide range kitchen and home appliances every day that would make your daily tasks easy and fast, right? And while you may use these home appliances as per your convenience, you must be careful about its maintenance and safety protocols to prevent accidents. Remember, these appliances run on electricity, and if you disregard their safety, it can pose significant hazard and injuries.
Keeping your home safe from appliance-related accidents is critical to ensure the well-being of your family members and keep the appliance running efficiently for a long time. With proper awareness and precautions, you can easily avert these accidents. In this guide, we discuss home appliance safety tips and how you can prevent accidents at home and ensure your peace of mind. But first, let us look at the possible types of accidents that can occur when using electrical home appliances.
Types of electrical accidents
Generally, three types of electrical accidents can happen at home, and each of them can vary in severity based on factors like the presence of water, the electricity voltage, etc.
- Electrical shock
Electrical shocks are always unpleasant, and they can occur if you come into contact with any live electrical part of the appliance. The shock intensity can be mild, which may cause a tingling sensation in the body to a severe shock that can have severe consequences like muscle contractions and sometimes, in worst-case scenarios, even heart failure.
- Electrical burns
In the event of moderate or severe shocks, you may even experience electrical burns. This happens when the electric current causes the tissues in your body to burn. It can occur internally or externally and affects the deep tissues and bones.
- Electrical fire
Electrical fire can be dangerous, and it causes serious damage to the property and family members. An electrical current can easily ignite any flammable material that comes in contact and the electrical fire tends to spread rapidly.
Try to put out the fire with water. It can worsen things as the water conducts electricity, which increases the risk of severe damage. In such a situation, it is best to contact an emergency service.
Reasons why accidents occur while using home appliances
We live in a world where electrical home appliances have become an integral part of our daily lives. And even when you use the best home appliances, electrical accidents can happen. Here are some of the common causes of such accidents –
- Water
We may have all learnt in schools that water is a good conductor of electricity, so spilling water on electrical home and kitchen appliances like iron box, oven, etc, can be quite risky. So, make sure that you keep water away from these appliances, even while you store them away to prevent spillage.
- Overloading power sockets
This is perhaps the most common cause of home appliance-related electrical accidents. If you plug in too many appliances into a single outlet, it can overload the circuit and pose great risk to the family members as well as the appliances.
- Incorrect usage
Iron boxes, OTGs, etc., can all pose a great risk of fire if they are not used correctly. If you leave these appliances unattended, and place them near any flammable items or keep them covered with a cloth, it can cause overheating and fire.
- Faulty wiring
Faulty wiring is one of the common causes of electrical accidents. This can happen due to poor installation of the appliance, misusing the appliance, or lack of proper maintenance.
Tips for preventing home appliance-related accidents
Now that you know the types of accidents that can occur while using home and kitchen appliances and the reasons behind them, you must know the safety tips so that you can prevent such mishaps.
Use correctly
Whether you buy home appliances online or offline, it is paramount that you refer to the user manual before you start using the appliance. Make sure to understand the different features and functions of the appliances as well as the right ways to use and maintain them.
Regular maintenance
Regular maintenance is vital for keeping your home appliances functioning efficiently for a long and preventing any mishaps. Make sure to get a thorough inspection done of the appliance by a qualified professional so that they can identify any potential issues and address them immediately before they become big and pose a risk to your safety.
Regular maintenance and servicing of the home and kitchen appliances not only helps prevent accidents and mishaps at home but also extends their lifespan. While you may get the appliances checked by a professional periodically, it is your duty and obligation to keep the appliances at home clean and free from dust accumulation, as this can lead to electrical malfunctioning.
Practice safe cleaning
Just as the different home appliances function differently and serve different purposes, they have unique maintenance needs. So, make sure that you follow the below tips for practising safe cleaning of the appliances –
- Before you start cleaning any appliance, be it an oven, garment steamer, multicooker, etc. make sure that you unplug the appliance from the socket. This helps avoid the risk of electric shock or accidental burns.
- Strictly adhere to the care, cleaning, and maintenance tips mentioned in the user manual. Generally, it is better to use a mild, and non-abrasive cleaning solution and soft clothes to clean the surface of the appliances. Also, it is better to avoid using any spraying liquid on the appliance as it can lead to moisture buildup in critical electrical components and damage them.
- While cleaning home and kitchen appliances that have heating elements like iron boxes, toasters, ovens, etc, make sure that you let the appliance cool down completely before cleaning it.
Final Word
By following the above-mentioned home appliances safety tips, you can negate the risk of accidents in your home to a great extent. Also, proper installation, regular maintenance, and safe usage practices are critical for keep your family safe from electrical accidents and ensuring longevity of the appliance.
Lastly, always use only premium quality home and kitchen appliances that have advanced built-in safety features to reduce the risk of accidents. If you are looking for such appliances, you can consider buying kitchen and home appliances from Wipro Appliances, one of the leading brands in the kitchen and home appliances industry.
The brand offers a wide range of premium quality appliances that make your everyday cooking tasks easy, fast and fun. From a multicooker to an iron box and from a cold pressed juicer to egg boilers, you can find it all kind of appliances you need under a single roof.
