Electrical Safety First (formerly the Electrical Safety Council, or ESC) is a registered UK
charity
Charity may refer to:
Giving
* Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons
* Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing
* Ch ...
working with all sectors of the electrical industry as well as local and central government to reduce deaths and injuries caused by electrical accidents.
Research shows that every year 2.5 million adults get an electric shock in their homes or garden, any of which could have caused injury or death. In 2007, according to government statistics, there were 19 deaths and 2,788 injuries caused by electric shocks. In addition, electricity is now the major cause of accidental domestic fires in UK homes with over 21,000 in 2007. In that same year there were 49 deaths and 3,477 injuries.
The charity, through its activities and partnerships, aims to ensure that consumers’ needs are recognised and that issues of electrical safety are given the appropriate priority.
History
Electrical Safety First was established as the
(NICEIC) in 1956. The National Inspection Council was in turn created from the National Register of Electrical Contractors, established in 1923, an organisation set up to provide protection for consumers against unsafe electrical wiring and equipment. Significant events in their history:
* 1956
NICEIC set up
* 1959 First NICEIC newsletter published
* 1970s Around 18,000 separate electrical installations inspected each year
* 1971 NICEIC is registered as a charity.org
* 1983 First computer introduced into NICEIC Head Office
* 1986 NICEIC Head Office moves to Vintage House, London
* 198
NICEIC forms NQA, National Quality Assurance* 1992 16th Edition of IEE Wiring Regulations adopted as British Standard
* 1998 NICEIC Roll published on CD-ROM and website
* 200
NICEIC becomes a UKAS accredited certification body* 2002 Technical Manual launched
* 2005 Th
charity was renamedthe Electrical Safety Council and started to carry out the charitable objectives of the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting. NICEIC Group Ltd formed to carry out the commercial aspects of the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting.
* 2006 Electrical Safety Council sets up its offices in Buckingham Gate, London
* 2014 Rebrands and becomes Electrical Safety First
Activities
Electrical Safety First promotes electrical safety and changes in attitude and behaviour by raising consumer and industry awareness of the issues and risks through:
General awareness campaignsCampaigns in areas of riskEventsProduct Recalls* Influencing other stakeholders to consider consumer needs.
Technical publicationsChairing working groups such as the Electrical Installation Forum
Standards-setting committeesGrantsref name="Safety grants">
Grants
Every year Electrical Safety First awards funding to a range of organisations, from both the Electrical Fire Safety Fund and the Home Improvement Grant Scheme.
Th
Electrical Fire Safety Fundaims to support the delivery of project-based fire prevention initiatives at local community level that aim to effectively tackle the causes of electrical-related fires, and those that seek to increase public awareness.
During this process Electrical Safety First works closely with the Fire Service,
CFOA and Local Authorities around the UK.
Joint venture
In November 2012 Electrical Safety First joined up with the
Electrical Contractors' Association
ECA (formerly the Electrical Contractors' Association) is the main trade association for companies involved in electrotechnical and other technical engineering projects in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. In 2022 it had some 2600 registered me ...
(ECA) to launch th
Electrical Safety Register- a joint venture between the two organisations. The register features both domestic and commercial contractors, and brings together the
NICEIC, and
ECA certification schemes.
Electrical Safety First and ECA together own Certsure LLP, which trades using the NICEIC and ELECSA certification brands.
Rebrand
In late 2013 the Electrical Safety Council announced that it is undergoing a rebranding, and that as of 28 March 2014 it would become Electrical Safety First.
The rebrand was launched alongside a YouTube video which brought popular 70s/ 80s animation
Charley Says
Charley Says is a series of short cut-out animated cartoon public information films for children, produced by the British government's Central Office of Information and broadcast in the United Kingdom in the 1970s and 1980s. Six films were ...
back to life, with the help of
David Walliams
David Edward Williams (born 20 August 1971), known professionally as David Walliams, is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is best known for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch comedy series '' Little B ...
who provided the voiceovers.
See also
*
BS 7671
British Standard BS 7671 "Requirements for Electrical Installations. IET Wiring Regulations", informally called in the UK electrical community "The Regs", is the national standard in the United Kingdom for electrical installation and the safet ...
*
Electrical wiring (UK)
Electrical wiring in the United Kingdom is commonly understood to be an electrical installation for operation by end users within domestic, commercial, industrial, and other buildings, and also in special installations and locations, such as mar ...
*
Institution of Engineering and Technology
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is a multidisciplinary professional engineering institution. The IET was formed in 2006 from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE), dating back to 1871, and ...
*
Council for Registered Gas Installers
The Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI) operates a voluntary registration scheme for gas installers in the United Kingdom. From 1991 to 2009 registration with CORGI was a legal requirement for gas operatives and businesses throughout the ...
*
Electrical Contractors' Association
ECA (formerly the Electrical Contractors' Association) is the main trade association for companies involved in electrotechnical and other technical engineering projects in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. In 2022 it had some 2600 registered me ...
*
SELECT (Electrical Contractors' Association of Scotland)
SELECT, founded in 1900 as the Electrical Contractors' Association of Scotland, is the Scottish construction trade association for specialist businesses in the electrical industry.
With the Unite the Union, SELECT established the Scottish Electri ...
*
NICEIC
Video clips
How to stay safeElectric ChipmunksBeauty BurnsCharley Says
References
External links
- ESC charity marketing campaigns
{{Authority control
Charities based in the United Kingdom
Electrical safety in the United Kingdom
Organisations based in Bedfordshire