§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the number of serious injuries of deaths which have been caused through defective electrical wiring in buildings during each of the last five years; and what legislative provision exists to cover electrical appliances and installation of equipment.
Year ending 31 March 1976/77 1977/78 1978/79 1979/80 1980/81 Total number of fatalities 78 54 53 64 58 Deaths caused through defective fixed electrical wiring in buildings 2 0 1 4 1 I have no information about the number of serious injuries.
The consumer is responsible for ensuring that his equipment and installation is in proper order. Household electrical appliances are subject to the provisions of statutory instruments as follows:
Statutory Instrument and Title
1969 No. 310 The Electrical Appliances (Colour Code) Regulations 19791971 No. 1961 The Electric Blankets (Safety) Regulations 19711973 No. 2106 The Heating Appliances (Fireguards) Regulations 19731975 No. 1366 The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 19751976 No. 1208 The Electrical Equipment (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1976The electricity supply regulations of 1937 effectively require standards of installation to be met. Regulation 26 forbids supply by an electricity board to a consumer unless the board is satisfied that a leakage from a comsumer's installation will not result, and regulation 27(a) allows a board to refuse or to discontinue a supply if a consumer's installation does not meet certain requirements. Those requirements are met by installations complying with the regulations for electrical installations published by the Institution of Electrical Engineers. However, the electricity supply regulations do not apply regulation 27(a) to installations where any of the following regulations, administered by the Health and Safety Executive, are applicable:
Statutory Instrument and Title
The Electricity (Factories Act) Special Regulations 1908 and 19441956 No.1766 The Coal and Other Mines (Electricity) Regulations 19561956 No.1779 The Miscellaneous Mines (Electricity) Regulations 19561956 No.1781 The Quarries (Electricity) Regulations 19561955 No.1129 The Cinematograph (Safety) Regulations 19551958 No.1530 The Cinematograph (Safety) Regulations 19581965 No.282 The Cinematograph (Safety) Regulations 19651976 No.1315 The Cinematograph (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1976