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THE ELECTRICAL Safety Council is working with UK fire and rescue services to address the growing problem of electrical risks involving the 2-pin ‘Europlug’.
Research by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service found that it is common practice among Eastern European populations in the country to use electrical appliances, brought from their country of origin, that feature Europlugs. These plugs do not incorporate a fuse.
It is unsafe to use these plugs in the UK without adaptation – there is a risk of electric shock or fire.
However, it is understood that Eastern Europeans living in the UK have been using such appliances by overriding the safety shutter mechanism in 13-amp socket outlets – placing a screw-driver or scissors into the top hole of a three-pin plug socket to disable the ‘earth’ so that the two pins can slot in below.
As a result, the Electrical Safety Council, in conjunc-tion with Communities and Local Government, is supplying thousands of fused, purpose-made 3-pin ‘conversion plugs’ free of charge to fire services to distribute during home fire safety visits. When correctly fitted and fused, these conversion plugs enable 2-pin Europlugs to be safely connected to standard UK 13-amp socket outlets.
The Council is also pub-lishing a leaflet (in Polish and English versions) to raise awareness of this potentially dangerous practice and to inform people of where they can purchase converters.
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