There is no such thing as a small electrical mistake

Full marks to Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) for the one-month “Licensed Electrical Contractor” public awareness campaign it has just kicked off (Oct. 14 – Nov. 14).

We really like the ESA’s Hazardous Homes website, where the public can play detective and try to guess – from pictures, documents, etc. – how various electrical accidents happened. It’s really well done. Check it out.

As the ESA describes it: “The campaign targets people who are considering home renovations, particularly those people who are likely to hire someone to do the work, including the electrical. Advertising messages remind prospective renovators that there are no small mistakes when it comes to electrical work – and the consequences could be a fire leading to serious injury, death or property loss.”

“New for this year Hazardous Homes is an interactive digital game that helps Ontarians understand the risks associated with electrical work done incorrectly. Consumers will read scenarios based on real-life incidents and try to answer the question: “what happened here?” Correct responses earn them an entry into a contest to win a weekly prize of a $100 gift card or the grand prize of a $1,000 gift card. Whether they solve the case correctly or not, participants are reminded to make sure the company they (or their general contractor) are hiring to do electrical work is an LEC. Digital advertising messages will reach Ontarians across the province appearing on websites including kijiji.ca and other home improvement-focused websites, Facebook and Twitter. Clicking on the digital ads will bring them to the HazardousHomes.ca website which features the game as well as a direct link to ESA’s contractor lookup tool.”