How do you charge your phone?
Recently, and very sadly Gosford mother-of-two Sheryl Aldeguer lost her life after using a faulty phone charger she had bought from an electronic appliance store in Sydney.
Whilst the proprietor of the charger has since been fined and penalised according to NSW Fair Trading laws, the sad situation has left many hesitant to pick up their phone from their wall charger. So, how do you charge your phone?
All products have now been removed from the outlet that sold the woman the faulty charger. It has been at least five years since a death has resulted from a faulty electrical appliance in Australia. However it can still make you weary to pick up your phone from the non-main brand phone charger you may have plugged into your power point. Obviously this incident seems to be isolated to this one faulty electrical item. However, as our lives are increasingly governed by electronics and electricity, we have a responsibility to have these products and systems checked and tested to ensure they are running in a safe and efficient fashion. For example, in regards to power points in your home, always make sure you switch off points at the wall and unplug an appliance when not in use, as it’s always possible the polarity is revered within the power point, or the switch may be faulty.
Glenco Electrical Inspections
At Glenco, we offer electrical inspections as part of our standard safety and efficiency audit on every job we attend. Obviously, these checks are not full proof, but they certainly will make a big difference in improving the safety of your home’s electrical system. Whilst it is probable that there is not much that could have been done to help Sheryl Aldeguer, the safety and efficiency audit we offer will help to find electrical problems, before they become bigger problems. Additionally, if you become a Glenco Rewards Member, these inspections are carried out at no charge on an annual basis.
What we can learn:
- A job must always be carried out by a professional. This includes the supply of certified items that comply with Australian Standards. Always ensure you have a licenced electrician in Sydney carry out any electrical work you need done.
- Whilst it may be expensive to hire a professional, the cost you pay may be higher to hire an amateur. In this unfortunate case, when we talk about cost, we are talking about more than money.
- Always ensure your electrical products are purchased from a reputable supplier. Something as insignificant as saving a few dollars on a cheaper phone charger can have much more tragic consequences than leaving your phone uncharged.
