Safety | Steer Housing Associ

Fire Safety

Smoke alarms save lives. Ensure there is a working smoke alarm fitted on each level of your home. Test the batteries regularly.
Avoid overloading electrical sockets.
Always use a fireguard in front of an open fire
Never smoke in bed or when tired.
Keep ashtrays empty when not in use.
Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
Never a leave a chip pan or frying pan unattended.
Make sure to have a suitable fire extinguisher and fire blanket in your kitchen.
Never leave a burning candle unattended.
Have your chimney cleaned at least once a year.
Close all doors at night time.

In the event of Fire

Get everyone out of the house as quickly as possible and Stay Out.
Call the Fire Brigade on 999 or 112 immediately.
Alert your neighbours.
Contact Steer as soon as possible

Gas Safety

To ensure your safety Steer Housing Association conducts gas boiler servicing every year.

We will arrange a service appointment at a time that is convenient to you. Please help us to keep you safe by allowing access to your home at the time arranged.

It is a legal requirement that any work carried out on domestic gas installations must only be carried out by a registered gas installer.

If you smell gas:

Contact Gas Networks Ireland immediately on the emergency number: 1800 20 50 50.
Ensure all gas appliances are turned off and have not been left on and unlit.
Do not smoke or use a naked flame.
Open all doors and windows to ventilate the area.
Do not switch on or off light switches or use any electrical appliances.
If possible, turn off the gas supply at the meter.
Contact Steer as soon as possible.

Electrical Safety

Trip switches and fuses

Trip switches and fuses are essential safety devices that cut off the flow of electricity in your home if a fault occurs.

Bathroom safety

Water and electricity don’t mix, so follow these special wiring rules and requirements for better bathroom safety.

In a bathroom, en-suite or any wet area, never use a plug-in appliance. Specially designed electric shaver outlets is the only exception to this rule

Kitchen safety

The combination of electricity, water and hot surfaces can make your kitchen a dangerous place.

Have a fire blanket and fire extinguisher easily accessible in the kitchen.
Unplug your electric kettle before filling it, and always replace a leaking kettle immediately.
Unplug electric appliances before cleaning them.
Have faulty appliances repaired by a professional.
When you are buying kitchen appliances (or any electrical appliances), make sure that they carry the CE approval mark, which implies that they meet European safety requirements.
Don’t use cracked, loose or damaged sockets or switches.
Don’t leave flexes trailing across the cooker, hob or sink.
Don’t handle plugs or switches with wet hands, and never let plugs get wet.
Don’t try to release jammed toast from a toaster while it is still plugged in.
Don’t use appliances with worn or damaged flexes – replace the appliance, or have it repaired by a professional.

The rest of your home

With computers, game consoles, TVs, DVD players and more, modern living rooms have more socket outlets than ever before.

You should consider fitting surge protection equipment to sensitive electrical appliances to prevent damage in the event of an electrical surge.
Never extend a cord or a lead with taped joints or homemade socket assemblies.
You should never nail or staple cords or leads to walls, as this can damage the cord, resulting in electric shock.
Do not place cords under rugs or carpets, as this can cause overheating.
Never try to repair faulty appliances.
Never try to force a 2-pin plug into a 3-pin socket – this can be extremely dangerous. Replace the 2-pin plug with a suitable 3-pin plug top.

Burst Pipes

Preventing Burst and Frozen Pipes

Find out where the main stop cock is and how to turn it off. It is usually located under the kitchen sink.
Make sure pipes and tanks are properly insulated, especially pipes in exposed or draughty areas.
Keep your home as warm as possible even if it is left empty during the day.
Repair dripping taps.
If you are planning to go away during the winter months, ask someone to look after your house or consider leaving the heating on for a short period every day.

In the event of a burst pipe

Turn off the water supply
Turn on all the taps to drain water from the system.
Turn off the central heating and the immersion heater.
If the leak is close to electric appliances or plugs turn off the electricity supply at the mains.
Try to soak up the water with towels.
Contact Steer as soon as possible.