Safety standards in most areas of life are constantly improving but those for domestic electrical installations are falling behind. Electricity use in the home is rising but the ability of some existing electrical installations to cope, and to cope safely, is diminishing.

While it is fair to say that, in most parts of the world, wiring in new homes is safe if legislative guidelines are adhered to, existing installations are often much less safe. The problem is most acute in Europe, where much of the housing stock is old and remodelling and refurbishment takes precedence over new building. Studies carried out for the European Copper Institute and others in the context of the Forum for Enhanced Electrical Domestic Safety (FEEDS) indicate that much of Europe’s … damage to property is around € 3.8 billion annually …

domestic wiring is potentially unsafe. The FEEDs programme brings attention to the need for regular inspection of existing installations and a mechanism for ensuring that standards are improved.