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Col's Construction Blog

Don't Rent an Office Before Conducting This 5-Step Electrical Safety Check

22 July 2019

Ethan Burton

Choosing the perfect office isn't just about finding the right location or scoring as many additional amenities as possible—it's also about safety. Given how much time you'll spend in your office every day (and likely with a lot of expensive equipment to hand), you don't want to put yourself at risk of an electrical hazard like electrocution or fire. That's why you should always check the office you're planning to rent to make sure it's electrically safe. Here's a simple five-step check to follow.

Step 1: Check Power Sockets

One of the biggest hazards in any office is a faulty power socket. If a socket isn't fitted or grounded correctly, it becomes a serious electrocution risk. Faulty sockets can also overheat electrical equipment or produce sparks, both of which lead to fire. Take a look at the office's power points and scan for signs of damage. You can spot overheating, for example, by looking out for cracks and burn marks on the casing. You should also make sure there are enough sockets for all the electronics you need, as overloading sockets with too many extension cords is a recipe for disaster.

Step 2: Check Ventilation

Another major cause of electrical danger is a build-up of dust. Not only is excess dust bad for your health, but it can also ignite and cause an explosion or fire if it collects around electrical equipment and overheats. One of the best ways to combat dust build-up is ventilation, so make sure your potential office has windows and an air conditioning and filtering system to keep the room circulating.

Step 3: Check Roominess

Alongside poor ventilation, a cramped office can also lead to dust build-up. If you have furniture and electrical equipment packed too tightly together, it's very difficult to clean out dust regularly. You need to make sure you'll have space to vacuum or sweep around all your electronics and power outlets. Likewise, too much electrical equipment next to each other generates large amounts of heat, increasing your fire risk. This means you also need enough room in your office for your computer, scanner, printer and all other electronics to have their own space.

Step 4: Check Fire Protection

You can reduce your risk of electrical fires in the office by taking precautions like making sure power sockets are in working order and preventing dust build-up. However, you can't prevent fires completely. Fire alarms are an essential part of electrical safety, and they're also an electrical component themselves. Checking your prospective office's fire alarm can tell you a lot about the place. If it's in good working order and there are additional fire protection features in the office (such as extinguishers and sprinklers), that's a good sign the landlord cares about safety. If it's not working, ask yourself this: if the landlord is this slapdash about a lifesaving electrical feature, how much less must they care about the rest of the electrical system?

Step 5: Check With an Electrician

Once you think you've settled on an office space that seems safe, it's time to do one final check with a professional electrician. Electricians can conduct more thorough safety checks than you could alone. For example, they have the tools and knowhow to inspect power sockets and determine whether they're fitted and grounded correctly. 

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