Electrical fires a real cause for concern in UAE

Mr. Sonjib Banerjee, Technical director at Duval Messien.

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Buying well-known branded appliances is not sufficient to ensure good protection against electrical faults. Before installing new appliances, residents should ensure the circuit breaker (MCB) is of suitable capacity and the electrical circuit is connected to a proper earthing system. This will not only protect the expensive appliances from damage but also avert possible electrical faults.  

"A major problem the survey has shown is that residents are unaware within each neighbourhood we need to work collectively to avert preventable electrical fires. Too often we have heard of alarming situations which for one reason or another has been left unattended or simply ignored, which not only raises the household's exposure but also those of their neighbours" said Sonjib Banerjee, Techinical Director from Duval Messien, a French technology company offering earthing and electrical fire protection technology.

Common signs of poorly maintained electrical circuit

Burnt plugs or sockets

Electrical stings from appliances

What helps make a home safe from electrical fires?

Earthing Pits: Earthing pit is filled with various liquids to keep the soil ionized and offer the home adequate earthing protection. If these pits are salt-water based, then homes, apartments and office buildings must check once every three months, and if gel-based, based on the type and quality used, either once every one year, or once every 10 years

Appropriate rating sockets: Some appliances in the home use distinctively higher current e.g. washing machines, fridges and electric hotplates. Ensure that they are plugged to sockets of suitable rating points in the kitchen.

Use three-pin plugs: The third prong of a plug is for earthing. It is safer to use such plugs and get the help of a certified electrician to change wiring it if necessary -.

Seek electrical assistance early: When the first warning signs appear, seek help immediately, using only certified electricians

Report early warning signs to the Maintenance office: Report all signs in your home or common areas such as corridors, lobbies and car parks to the Building Maintenance office so that the professionals may assist all residents and office users in time.

Ask the Maintenance Office for regular certified reports: If you live in a high rise building, ask for Electrical Maintenance reports on a regular basis. It should include the MCB checks and earth pit resistance test.

Common myths

I live in a new building, all is well: Earthing is not a one-off installation procedure; it needs to be maintained regularly according to manufacturer protocols. Cheaper, more commonly used salt-water based earthing needs maintenance upto once every 3 months, and modern gel-based solutions may need annual maintenance. Now newer and much more sophisticated gel-based solutions are available in the market complying with international standards to provide lower soil resistivity and are generally maintenance-free for upto 10 years.

I live in an apartment block; there is nothing I can do about checking my earthing and electrical networks: Wrong! Apartment dwellers can ask for certified reports on a regular basis during their stay at the premises. Residents can also include it as part of the maintenance contract when signing and ask for an electrical safety report before taking up the rental. Additionally apartment dwellers, in particular must be collectively proactive and alert the Maintenance Office if they spot any electrical faults in their own homes or around the building, for example lobbies, car park and affiliated areas.

Even if the MCB trips, it works again once I lift the switch so it must be ok: It is not ok for the MCB to trip - When it does it means a short circuit was detected. It is commonly thought that MCB may not be effective unless it has been developed by a certified manufacturer. If tripping occurs too often, you should seek assistance from a certified electrician and his report must including checks on the earthing pits and other parts of the electrical network.

But I don't smell any rubber burning - Once the "rubber - burn smell" does come about, the situation has escalated to "very high risk", a fire is likely only seconds away if not dealt with appropriately.

I only use high quality appliances so no risk of electrical fires for me: Wrong again

Firstly because the appliance is only as safe as the electrical circuit it is plugged into is, i.e. the MCB, cabling, and earthing. In fact high-end appliances such as home theatre systems, plasma screens and laptops are most sensitive to electrical faults and can result in high value damage readily in instances of electrical surges which are not adequately distracted through appropriate earthing.

Secondly, if you live or work in a high density neighborhood or office block the electrical accident next-door could readily impact you and your loved ones, so joint vigilance is all the more necessary.

Keeping our neighborhoods safe from electrical fires is a joint effort, and all including apartment dwellers and those in high density older neighbourhoods are especially encouraged to be more vigilant.

-Ends-

About DUVAL MESSIEN:
Manav Enterprises FZC is the sole distributors of Duval Messien's Lightning Protection & Earthing systems for the Arabian Gulf. Satellite 3 Lightning Protection system & Terec+ Earthing Compound are state-of-the-art products introduced by them to the region. The multi-national team boasts specially trained sales and engineering specialists with valid experience in various terrains and a diverse variety of project types including Refineries, Defense, Telecom, Airports, Industries, Shopping malls, Commercial/residential towers, Palaces & villas. The company has recently been awarded contracts with The Burj Tower, DEWA Head Office, International City and Raffles Hotel in Dubai; royal palaces in Oman; and other prestigious projects across the GCC region. The company is located in Freezone in UAE with distribution offices conveniently dotted across all emirates, expanding soon to the rest of the region.

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© Press Release 2008