Kerala: KSEB issues safety rules while decorating homes with lights during Christmas, New Year

Alappuzha: The Kerala State Electric Board issued safety rules and instructions while decorating homes on the occasion of Christmas and New Year celebrations. The wiring should be done by licensed persons recognized by the government as per the existing rules. The electrical inspector said that any electrical work should be done only by a government-approved licensed electrical contractor and permission should be obtained from the concerned KSEB Limited section office. 

The officials stated, '"Do not place electrical lanterns and arcs near power lines and transformer stations. It should be ensured that an earth leakage circuit breaker of 30 milliamperes is installed and operational in every electrical decorative circuit. The wires of star lights should be kept out of the reach of children. Wires with loss of insulation, corroded, spliced, out of date, and poor quality should not be used for lamp decorations.' The electrical inspector also warned that the use of low-quality materials, which are bought from the roadside and online for cheap prices, can pose a danger to human life and property. 

'Plastic wires should not be used for electricity or decoration. This may cause a fire. Only 3-core double-insulated cable wire should be used for single-phase power. The joints should be fully insulated, and the lamps should not be pulled through grills, ironwork, and metal sheets. It should be ensured that the earthing system in the houses is efficient. Do not do electrical work when there is only one person present.' The electrical inspector thus stated that paying attention to these things will reduce the risk of life safety and the breakdown of electrical equipment.

• KSEB
• KSEB guidelines