Electrical Safety in the Home

This short study was carried out to help explain Knowledge Structure Mapping as part of the book Thinking about Knowledge, Learning and Wisdom. This study is larger than the others presented here, consisting of 80 knowledge nodes. However, it is still an investigative study rather than a detailed and full knowledge study with its primary goal being aimed at explaining KSM for the book, rather than targeting electrical safety in the home. That said, the study most certainly addresses electrical safety in the home from a knowledge perspective but as with the other investigative studies shown here, it uses only one surrogate expert to provide reference for the knowledge and is provided as another example to be considered for those interested in KSM.

Comment on the Knowledge Area

The knowledge area was chosen to be something which could have some general interest for any reader and something which could reasonably be dealt with using the limited expertise available. The knowledge was explored from a purely conceptual perspective and although regulations are mentioned in the study itself, the knowledge study does not require an expert level understanding of regulations. The study is intended to represent what an expert householder would need to know. Not that there would be a great many householders who were experts in electrical safety in the home but the knowledge studied is what they could reasonably be assumed to know.

The book explores the development of this knowledge area from the placement of the first knowledge node to the final map. A web resource was exported from the knowledge study tool and this resource can be found by following the link in the sub menu on the left. The risk link on the left provides a little more discussion about the knowledge risks which have been identified with this investigative study.

In order to provide a flavour for map analysis, I have included three observations which were listed in the book mentioned above. These observations consider details of the study, what these details could imply and what could be done to address any potential problems encountered.

Observations from the Study

The heavy study bias to the whole knowledge area should encourage interested parties that electrical safety in the home could be improved with suitable learning material or well designed study courses. Electrical safety in the home is something that can be seen to be based on elements of school education but these elements may not be presented to students within a safety context. It is possible that teaching at secondary level could place more importance on the elements of science which are shown to be fundamental prerequisites to electrical safety and present these within an electrical safety context as well as an appropriate scientific context.

The important relationship between earthing and danger to people is caused by a common requirement to understand the basics of ‘current flow’. Indeed, this knowledge is (excluding its prerequisite chain) the most supportive knowledge for the whole knowledge area. It is therefore vital that school leavers have this knowledge if their safety in the home is to be assured in later years. A sound working knowledge of basic electricity and a more practical and critical understanding of current flow should be encouraged in all school leavers.

Shock hazard is part of the knowledge area of electrical hazard as is ‘previous hazard examples’. This general knowledge area has a significant study component and is also noted to be relatively poorly understood. A campaign of education using ‘previous hazard examples’ and linking these to the knowledge area connected with ‘shock hazard’ could improve the general level of understanding within the population of this vital area of knowledge for personal safety. Such a campaign could even be run by pubic spirited breakfast cereal companies in the form of useful example cards enclosed with each box of cereal.

General Study Comment

It should be noted that the IEE Regulations within the UK are the recognised authority for electrical installation and safety within homes in the UK. This study has looked at the situation as it is perceived to exists but should not be taken as an authoritative reference.

This study is just one of many concepts addressed and discussed in Thinking about Knowledge, Learning and Wisdom. The main focus of the book is an investigation into knowledge, learning and wisdom and the aim of the book is to help to clarify the meaning of these terms.