Wellington Electricity offers a free electrical safety programme for children aged 6 to 11, called Stay Safe.

Established in 2004, our Stay Safe programme is aimed at teaching school children about the dangers of electricity and how to stay safe around it. The 60-minute session includes a video, electrical safety discussion aided by visual props, and the presentation of a workbook to each student. The workbooks are a practical, engaging resource that will help teach your students about staying safe around electricity.

A gift bag is also given to students, which includes our Stay Safe magazine featuring activity pages, checklists for home, and tips on staying safe – plus information on how electricity is supplied. The workbook can be taken home or completed in the classroom. Since the programme began, we’ve talked to over 24,000 children about the dangers of electricity, and educated them on how to treat electricity with respect.

Online

As well as an easy-to-follow Home Safety Inspection checklist that parents can run through with their children, this website also contains some helpful information that children can read themselves – or with adult supervision:

• The travels of electricity
• How electricity can hurt you
• In case of emergency
• Tree and power line safety

Safety tips

Never touch exposed wires inside streetlights or other electrical equipment.	Before you climb any trees, always make sure there are no overhead lines nearby.	Never play in derelict buildings or on building sites – the electricity supply may be live.
Never take electrical appliances into the bathroom, as water conducts electricity.	Never go fishing near overhead lines. Electricity might be carried down the fishing line back to you.	Never make a hole in a wall without checking what's inside it first (talk to an adult about this).
Never fly a kite near an overhead line. Electricity might be carried down the string back to you.	Never touch electric switches or sockets with wet hands and always keep electrical appliances away from water.	Take extra care not to damage the power cord when mowing grass with an electric lawnmower (talk to an adult about this).
Never plug too many electrical appliances into one socket. The wires may overheat and catch fire.	Never poke things into plug sockets – you could easily be electrocuted.	Do not climb pylons or power poles. Electricity can JUMP if you get too close.
Buried cables could be carrying electricity – keep well away.	Never climb into electricity substations or poke sticks through the fence.	Switch off plug sockets before plugging or unplugging anything.
Never poke things into toasters – you could easily be electrocuted.	Always tidy away power cords so that they don't get damaged or tripped over.	Never play on or around railway lines. As well as the danger of trains, electricity could harm you.

Related Documents

Home Safety Inspection

Printable checklist

157 KB  |  pdf

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