When it comes to electrical safety in the home, the role of the electrician is paramount in helping to not only ensure a safe installation but also in the education of its residents. Here Deepak Sharad, marketing engineer at Schneider Electric, talks through the benefits of its latest circuit protection solution Easy9 and the importance of combining efficiency and safety.
Here in the UK we have become huge fans of electronic gadgets and appliances and while manufacturers have developed more energy efficient products and solutions, consumers are simply buying more of them. As we become more and more reliant on electrical gadgets within our everyday lives, it may come as no surprise that the Energy Saving Trust estimates ‘around one third of household energy bills and over a quarter of household carbon dioxide emissions’ can be attributed to electrical appliances.
With our homes and businesses changing faster than ever before, thanks to the evolution in technology, we have more and more electrical appliances filling our homes and our lives. As a result it has become all too easy to not only take electricity for granted but also forget how dangerous it can potentially be.
While our homes may be changing, the role of the electrician predominantly remains the same; to ensure a competent and electrically safe installation. According to the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) there are around 70 deaths and 350,000 serious injuries in the UK every year as a result of an electrical incident within the home.
While the exact cause of these incidents may not be known in many occasions, for some homeowners it can be a simple lack of awareness or complacency around the dangers of electricity. For the electrician this is a key consideration when visiting homeowners, simple checks around sockets to ensure they aren’t being overloaded, as well as highlighting the use of appliances in the bathroom or outside can help to dramatically improve safety in the home.
A further factor to consider is the increased need for installer efficiencies. Today’s electricians are under a huge amount of pressure to remain cost effective while meeting increasingly tight deadlines and therefore any way that a manufacturer can help support electricians on the job, is important.
In response, the electrical market has seen an abundance of new and emerging products which are quick and easy to install, thereby reducing the cost of labour as well as the risk of complications to ensure the project is kept on track. Circuit protection is one example of this, where safety and long-lasting protection is paramount.
The extensive new Easy9 circuit protection range is designed to be affordable, without compromising on reliability or safety. The Easy9 range features insulated enclosures, metal enclosures, switch-disconnectors, RCCB residual current circuit breakers, miniature circuit breakers and RCBO residual current devices, as well as a full range of C curve MCBs.
The Easy9 range has been introduced in order to safeguard homeowners against electric shocks, overloads and short circuits, while also protecting against the risk of fire.
Featuring a high quality and user friendly design, Easy9 includes an innovative toggle mechanism and curved edges to maintain a stylish look and feel.
Established as a circuit breaker designer and manufacturer since 1920 Schneider Electric knows what electricians have come to expect from its products and from electrical safety equipment. That is why the new Easy9 circuit protection range has been designed with installers in mind, offering a user-friendly, reliable product at an affordable price.
As smart technology in our homes and businesses continues to rise, there is increasing pressure on our energy supplies and our networks both at home and at work. Circuit protection is therefore vital, helping people to protect against, short circuits, overloads and electric shocks and therefore providing people the peace of mind that they and their gadgets are completely protected.
The electrician has an incredibly important role to play in the electrical safety of our homes and businesses. This is why it is crucial that manufacturers continue to work with installers, ensuring products are designed with them in mind as well as the end user. In truth, a high quality and long lasting protection is vital for circuit protection; while user friendly design, availability and affordability is what makes it saleable.
The Easy9 range has full compliance with International IEC standards and comes complete with a full product warranty from Schneider Electric. Easy9 is the perfect solution for a dependable power supply.
For further information please visit www.schneider-electric.com/uk. Alternatively, follow the company on twitter @SchneiderUK or Facebook (www.facebook.com/SchneiderElectricUK).