A motor control device electrically connectable between an AC motor and an AC power source, the motor control device comprising: a plurality of switching devices (68, 70, 72) comprising at least one thyristor corresponding to a respective phase of the AC motor; and a controller programmed to: disconnect the AC power source from the AC motor by turning off all gating signals of the plurality of switching devices for a predetermined time period following a first plurality of cycles of a mains phase voltage of the AC power source, wherein a cycle of a mains phase voltage is defined as the time span of one period of the mains phase voltage; measure a back-emf voltage during the predetermined time period; estimate an operating characteristic of the AC motor from the measured back-emf voltage; the motor control device is characterised in that the controller is further programmed to: monitor the mains phase voltage and a voltage across the switching devices to identify respective zero crossings; and after identifying the zero crossing of the mains phase voltage, trigger a switching device of the plurality of switching devices (68, 70, 72) according to a multi-step firing sequence to reconnect the AC power source to the AC motor, wherein the multi-step firing sequence comprises at least a first firing of the switching device following the identified zero crossing of the mains phase voltage and a second firing of the switching device following a subsequent zero crossing of the voltage across the switching device (68, 70, 72). a plurality of switching devices (68, 70, 72) comprising at least one thyristor corresponding to a respective phase of the AC motor; and a controller programmed to: disconnect the AC power source from the AC motor by turning off all gating signals of the plurality of switching devices for a predetermined time period following a first plurality of cycles of a mains phase voltage of the AC power source, wherein a cycle of a mains phase voltage is defined as the time span of one period of the mains phase voltage; measure a back-emf voltage during the predetermined time period; estimate an operating characteristic of the AC motor from the measured back-emf voltage; the motor control device is characterised in that the controller is further programmed to: monitor the mains phase voltage and a voltage across the switching devices to identify respective zero crossings; and after identifying the zero crossing of the mains phase voltage, trigger a switching device of the plurality of switching devices (68, 70, 72) according to a multi-step firing sequence to reconnect the AC power source to the AC motor, wherein the multi-step firing sequence comprises at least a first firing of the switching device following the identified zero crossing of the mains phase voltage and a second firing of the switching device following a subsequent zero crossing of the voltage across the switching device (68, 70, 72). disconnect the AC power source from the AC motor by turning off all gating signals of the plurality of switching devices for a predetermined time period following a first plurality of cycles of a mains phase voltage of the AC power source, wherein a cycle of a mains phase voltage is defined as the time span of one period of the mains phase voltage; measure a back-emf voltage during the predetermined time period; estimate an operating characteristic of the AC motor from the measured back-emf voltage; the motor control device is characterised in that the controller is further programmed to: monitor the mains phase voltage and a voltage across the switching devices to identify respective zero crossings; and after identifying the zero crossing of the mains phase voltage, trigger a switching device of the plurality of switching devices (68, 70, 72) according to a multi-step firing sequence to reconnect the AC power source to the AC motor, wherein the multi-step firing sequence comprises at least a first firing of the switching device following the identified zero crossing of the mains phase voltage and a second firing of the switching device following a subsequent zero crossing of the voltage across the switching device (68, 70, 72). monitor the mains phase voltage and a voltage across the switching devices to identify respective zero crossings; and after identifying the zero crossing of the mains phase voltage, trigger a switching device of the plurality of switching devices (68, 70, 72) according to a multi-step firing sequence to reconnect the AC power source to the AC motor, wherein the multi-step firing sequence comprises at least a first firing of the switching device following the identified zero crossing of the mains phase voltage and a second firing of the switching device following a subsequent zero crossing of the voltage across the switching device (68, 70, 72).