It begins with a mother and daughter coming back from the shops with various party supplies, to find dad either making a cup of tea for an electrician who is working on the fuse box in a cupboard under the stairs, or alternatively, preparing to undertake the work himself.
Viewers are given the option of allowing the father to fix the problem with the electrics, in time for his daughter’s party, or using a registered electrician to do the job. By pressing ‘P’ on their computer keyboard viewers can switch between the two options, which provide two distinctly different outcomes. The father’s DIY attempt results in a ‘burnt offering’ with smoke pouring out of the cupboard, while the work done by the professional ensures the little girl’s party will go without a hitch.
‘We created the video in response to research which showed that a massive 80 per cent of people were unaware that certain jobs in the home must legally be undertaken either by a registered electrician, or signed off by a Local Authority’s Building Control’, explains Emma Apter, head of communications at Electrical Safety First. ‘Our Part P campaign highlights the fact that doing electrical DIY can not only be illegal but also dangerous – sometimes fatally so.’
More information about Part P can be found at the charity’s website, at www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk and you can view the video here