May is Electrical Safety Month

By Shawn Simon

Whether it's watching TV, charging a cellphone or flipping a switch to light a room, we owe many of our modern comfort to electricity flowing through our walls and powerlines above our heads. As wonderful as electricity is, it is extremely powerful and can threaten your life and home if used incorrectly. Follow these tips to remind your family to use electricity responsibly.

Watch for Overhead Power lines

• Never touch a powerline. Contact with an energized line can injure or kill you. If you see a downed power line, stay at least 35 feet away, call 911 immediately and warn anyone nearby of the danger.
• Always stay at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines. Do not assume the lines are for cable or telephone service.
• Tree branches can become electrical conductors. If a tree is in contact with or near a powerline, call your utility and make arrangements to de-energize the line before trimming branches.
• Do not assume the power line is insulated. Often, what appears as insulation is only a soft covering to protect energized metal wires from the weather.
• Carry ladders and other long equipment horizontally to avoid contact with power lines.

Extension Cord and Power Strip Safety

• Buy only cords approved by an independent testing laboratory. Make sure extension cords are appropriately rated for their use- indoor or outdoor.
• Do not plug extension cords into one another. Extending the length of your cord or “daisy Chaining” is the most common cause of overheating. It overloads the cord and creates a serious fire hazard.
• Inspect cords before each use. Look for tears and bare wiring, metal parts, and loose connections.
• Do not use an extension cord or power strip with heaters or fans, which could cause cords to overheat and result in a fire.
• Do not staple or nail extension cords to any surface. This could damage the cords.
• Do not run extension cords through walls, doorways, ceilings, or floors. Keep the cords uncovered to heat can escape.
• Keep outdoor extension cords away from standing water.
• Never use three-pronged plugs with outlets that only have two slots.
• Never cut off the ground pin) the third pin on a three-pronged plug).
• Use only surge-protected power strips.

Other Home Safety Tips

• Place safety caps on unused outlets to prevent children from accidentally placing items in the socket, which may cause a fire or injure them. It will also help you save energy by eliminating drafts.
• Consider installing tamper-resistant receptacles on all outlets
• Do not yank electrical cords from the wall
• Make sure your electrical cords are tucked away. Electrical trip hazards can cause fire, electrocution, or other injuries
• Never stick nonelectrical items in outlets. They are electrified