ELECTRICAL DANGERS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17609, 11 November 1922, Page 17

ELECTRICAL DANGERS.

SOME CAUSES OF FIRES. BAD WORK AND ITS PERILS. Mr F R. Shepherd, Electrical Inspector for the New Zealand Fire Underwriters' Association, had much to say that was of general public interest m an address delivered to the Wellington Insurance Officers' Guild this week. His subject" was "The Electrical Hazard from an Insurance Viewpoint." He is the Government accepted authority on the subject, because the Government has recognised the underwriters' rules as the standard to be fixed by its Acts in connexion with electrical installations (says the "Post"). Apart from mutters that were of peculiar interest to insurance men, Mr Shepherd referred to the causes of fare, insofar as they affect the houseowner, that may be traced to electricity. One of them was bad workmanship. Otner causes were carelessness and criminal neglect. 'I use the word 'criminal advisedly," he said, "because, although in many instances the negligence is due to ignorance, no one who is ignorant of the danger of "electricity should be allowed to do electrical work." He showed how in the last two annual reports of the underwriters' chief inspector it was stated that faults were, found in no less than 1056 installations. These faults were all put in order without being officially condemned. Each one of the installations was a possible total loss by fire, and it was impossible to estimate what the loss might have been. "The incompetent, careless, or wilfulv negligent worker is a big contributing factor to the electrical fire hazard," added Mr Shepherd. Faulty materials were also a cause of fires, and "the foreign manufacturer is the greatest offender in this respect," he said. Speaking of the electric iron, of which there are about 40,000 in use in New Zealand, Mr Shepherd described it as "a most serious fire hazard, and until a 'fool proof electric iron is placed on the market, that hazard will remain." All would be well if only the users of these irons would open tho switch and thereby cut off the current; but in many instances this simple .action is neglected, the iron is standing on the ironing cloth on the table a and in due course a fire is started. There was danger, too, in operating irons, kettles, auS radiators from a light point by a screw cord pendant. Mr Shep"herd did not spare the retailer who will endeavour to sell and attach an adapter to an apparatus so that the customer can use" it from any lighting point in the house. When referring to bad work, Mr Shepherd also said: "It must not be inferred that the average contractor does bad work. On the contrary, I want to make it clear that the majority of contractors may be relied upon to do a good, honest job. Our quarrel is not with these people, but with the unscrupulous, of whom there are only a few."