Master Electricians Australia has urged Australians to test your safety switches. 

MEA CEO Malcolm Richards said while safety switches can prevent you from being shocked or electrocuted, they won’t help if they are not working.

“It’s a proven fact that safety switches save lives. In the event of an electrical incident, a safety switch is able to cut the power in just hundredths of a second,” Mr Richards said.

“While circuit breakers are great at protecting electrical equipment, safety switches are specifically designed to protect human beings from death or serious injury from electrical shocks.

“But safety switches aren’t of much use if they are not working properly, which is why it is important that you perform a simple and safe test, to ensure that they are functioning as they should.

“All you need to do is open your switchboard and press the “Test” button on each of your safety switches. If they are working properly, the power will instantly trip off on that circuit.

According to the NSW Government, about 40 per cent of all house fires in that state could have been avoided if safety switches had been installed in their homes. 

“Some houses have safety switches installed on all circuits, while some only have them on the light or power circuits. If your switchboard does not have a “Test” button on every single circuit, then your home is not fully protected.

“If you hit the “Test” button and it doesn’t immediately trip the power, your safety switch is faulty and you should urgently call a Master Electrician to have it replaced. If you don’t have a safety switch on each circuit, you should also contact a Master Electrician to ensure that your family is fully protected.”