With plenty of handy people donning the tool belt and getting stuck into jobs around the house this Easter, the community is urged to be electrically safe to avoid turning DIY into DIE.
Over the last five years in the Mackay and Whitsunday area 181 serious electric shocks were reported to Queensland Ambulance.
Of these, 30 occurred last year, figures Ergon Area Manager Wayne Alderman said were extremely concerning.
He urged handy homebodies to be conscious of electrical dangers when working around the house these holidays.
“School holidays and extra-long weekends like Easter always see a spike in the number of people tackling DIY jobs around the home,” Mr Alderman said.
“People will be cutting, drilling and digging around their properties and we’re highlighting the need to be aware that live electrical cables can be hidden behind every wall, floor and ceiling.
“So before working on an area of your home, ensure there are no wires behind the surface by using a quality stud finder that has an electricity sensing capability or avoid drilling or cutting in the surface near power points or other electrical fittings.
“If you’re still unsure, you’re better off taking the safest route by getting a licensed electrical contractor in to check all the areas you’ll be working on. It’s a cheap way of ensuring you don’t injure yourself with an electric shock or worse still, electrocution.’
Mr Alderman also reminded Queenslanders that attempting to do your own electrical work is not only extremely dangerous it’s illegal and electrical work must only ever be carried out by a qualified electrician.
DIY electrical work is illegal in Queensland
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