Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) is encouraging Victorians to test their safety switches at least once a year to ensure they work.

Electrical fires can be caused by ageing, degrading and faulty electrical installations or equipment. Safety Switches provide additional protection to homes by detecting faults and instantly switching the power off before a fire or electrocution can occur.

ESV’s Test. Reset. Protect. campaign encourages Victorians to carry out a simple safety switch test once a year in order to protect yourself, your family and your property.

Safety switches can be found in most household switchboards they have a small button with the word ‘test’ on it. Once pressed, power will be cut to parts of the property connected to the safety switch.

If the switch doesn’t activate, it is faulty and will not protect you. If this occurs call a licensed electrician immediately.

Signs that your electrical installation may be faulty include:

• Old switchboards with fuses, particularly those without circuit breakers and safety switches
• Old power switches or power points, particularly broken ones
• Flickering lights
• Sparks from switchboards, switches or power points.

Many older properties have not been fitted with safety switches. Victorians that have homes without safety switches are encouraged to engage a licensed electrician to install them.

Further information is available on the ESV website at esv.vic.gov.au/household-wiring.