Find out how safety switches can save lives!
Safety switches are designed to save lives. They detect the loss of current from a circuit that indicates a person is receiving an electric shock, and they cut the power in as little as 30 milliseconds.
Safety switches have been mandatory on the power outlet circuits of new homes since the early 1990s, and on the light and power circuits of new homes in most states since 2000. But many older homes do not have safety switches, and circuits such as air-conditioning, pool filters, hot water, and stoves are not protected in most homes.
Types of Home Safety Switches:
Switchboard-Mounted Safety Switches
This type of safety switch is the device required by law to be fitted to the power and lighting circuits of new homes. They are located alongside circuit-breakers in the home’s switchboard, and can be distinguished from circuit breakers by the presence of a button marked “test”, which is located on the front face of the device.
Combination Safety Switch And Circuit Breakers In Switchboards
Some homes have a combined circuit breaker and safety switch installed on their power and lighting circuits. These devices protect the electrical circuits and appliances attached to them, but also offer the safeguards against electrical injury and death that can only be achieved with a safety switch. These devices cost around $100 more than a standard circuit breaker, and if installed at the time of construction do not require any additional labour than a standard circuit breaker.
Other Types Of Safety Switches
In older homes or in specific environments such as workshops or bathrooms, safety switches may be fitted to a power point. Again, this type of switch can be distinguished by the test button on its front face. In order to protect a circuit, the safety switch must be fitted to the first power point on a circuit.
Portable safety switches, attached to a power board or extension lead, are also available. These devices are designed specifically for people working with electrical tools, and only protect the circuits of appliances connected to them. They are often required under Workplace Health and Safety laws, in addition to or instead of testing and tagging of electrical equipment on workplaces. However, they are not adequate protection for the home environment.
Each year, around 15 people are killed in preventable electrical accidents in Australian homes. Around 20 times that number are hospitalised with severe burns or other injuries. These deaths and injuries can almost certainly be prevented – with the flick of a switch.
Unfortunately, many Australians do not have the protection of safety switches on any of their electrical circuits. Some have protection on just their light and power circuits while very few people have protection on all circuits.
Every day activities such as hammering in a nail for a picture or using an electrical appliance can turn deadly in less time than it takes a heart to beat. You need a safety switch on every circuit to have maximum protection in your home.
Switch your thinking by balancing the minor cost of installing safety switches against the trauma and devastation of losing someone you love. It’s about ditching the “it will never happen to me” approach, and taking action to protect your family and friends.
Don’t let a tragedy happen in your house. Switch your thinking today.
Switch Thinking Campaign
A report commissioned by Master Electricians Australia identified a deficit of around 26 million safety switches in Australian homes. This led Master Electricians Australia to develop the Switch Thinking campaign, to increase public awareness of safety switches and the need to install them on every circuit of the home for maximum protection.
How do Safety Switches Work?
On a normal power circuit, the current flowing to an appliance returns through the neutral wire. If the circuit is compromised, the electricity can leak to earth through a person in contact with the appliance, causing death or serious injury
A safety switch detects the loss of power from the circuit, and cuts the supply of electricity in as little as 30 milliseconds – 0.03 seconds. Importantly, this response time is faster than the critical section of a heartbeat, and therefore significantly reduces the risk of death or serious injury.
I have Circuit Breakers. Is that the Same?
Circuit breakers and fuses are designed to protect the appliances and electrical fittings in your home. They do not protect human life, and will rarely shut off the power in the event of electric shock. Only safety switches will cut the power to a circuit in the event of earth leakage. Only safety switches can save lives and prevent injuries.
How Do I Know If I Have A Safety Switch?
Safety switches have a “test” button on the front face. If the devices in your switch board do not have a test function, they are probably circuit breakers rather than safety switches. You should use the test button several times each year to test that the safety switch is working properly to cut the power. To minimise inconvenience, this can be done at the time clocks are adjusted at the start and finish of daylight savings time. Home owners can also take advantage of any power outage to test their safety switches – after the power is reconnected but before resetting their appliances.
I Have A Safety Switch. Am I Protected?
Many Australian homes have safety switches on the power outlet circuits, and some have safety switches on the lighting circuits. But in most homes, other circuits such as pools, air-conditioners, hot water systems, and stoves are not protected. For the highest possible level of protection, you need a safety switch on every circuit.
A safety switch should always be considered a secondary safety response; it is not a substitute for good old-fashioned common sense around electricity. A person who receives an electric shock from a circuit protected by a safety switch may still feel the current for an instant, and experience pain and shock. However, they are much more likely to survive than they would if the circuit was unprotected.
How Many Safety Switches Do I Need?
While the laws in each state and territory differ we recommend that ALL circuits in ALL homes be retrofitted with safety switches. These circuits include, power points, lights, stove, hot water system, pool, air conditioner, etc.
Are Safety Switches Expensive?
A licensed electrician will need to install your safety switches to ensure your house is protected correctly. Generally, you would be looking at paying a standard electrician’s service fee for the service which is ordinarily in the vicinity of a few hundred dollars. Some homes, dependant on the quality and size of their switchboards may require upgrades which would increase that cost. Contact your local licensed electrician for a definitive quote.
How Reliable Are Safety Switches?
In Australia, under each state Electricity Act, a safety switch is a declared article. This means that a manufacturer must submit a formal test report on the operational characteristics of the safety switch. This report is then compared to the Australian standard for compliance. Once satisfied, an approval is then issued. This approval must be marked on the product and is then able to be sold. To meet this need for testing is quite onerous and therefore the need to ensure quality and reliability is highly desirable by the manufacturers.
Do I Have To ‘Test’ Safety Switches?
Safety switches need to be tested regularly to ensure the mechanism works freely. Testing should be done every three months. As a guide, you should test them when you receive your electricity account. Testing the safety switch is really easy, simply push the button marked ‘T’ or ‘test’. The safety switch should trip and reset by closing, job done. Be aware that some appliances will need to be reset after this test, such as clock radios.
What Happens If I Cannot Reset The Safety Switch?
This may mean that there is an inherent fault on the circuit and will therefore need the expertise of an electrician to inspect and repair this situation.
How Long Will A Safety Switch Last?
Under the current Australian standard, a safety switch is manufactured to last for a period of 4,000 tests. We encourage home owners to test their switches every three months which indicates that unless there is a significant problem with a device, they should last a lifetime.