Electrical Safety Tips

Indoor Saftey Tips

Protect yourself from electricity-related injures by checking for these potential problems:

• Check outlets and extension cords to make sure they aren’t overloaded. Examine outlets that have loose-fitting plugs, which can overheat and lead to fire. Replace any missing or broken wall plates.
• Examine electrical cords to make sure they aren’t frayed, damaged or placed under rugs or carpets. Cords should never be nailed or stapled to the wall, baseboard or to another object.
• Consider installing ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). This is an electronic device used for protecting people from serious injury due to electric shock.
• Before purchasing an extension cord, make sure the rating on the cord is the same as or higher than the number of watts needed by the product that will be plugged into the cord. Extension cords should never be used as a substitute for permanent wiring.
• Circuit breakers and fuses should be the correct size current rating for their circuit. If you do not know the correct size, have an electrician identify and label the size to be used. Always replace a fuse with the same size fuse.
• If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse, trips a circuit breaker or if it has given you a shock, unplug it and have it repaired or replaced.
• Make sure entertainment and computer equipment is in good condition and working properly. Look for cracks or damage in wiring, plugs and connectors. Use a surge protector or UPS bearing the seal of a nationally recognized certification agency.
• During an electrical storm, do not use appliances (i.e., hair dryers, toasters and radios), electrical equipment or telephones (except in an emergency). Keep batteries on hand for flashlights and radios in case of a power outage.
• Make sure the proper wattage light bulbs are being used in light fixtures.

Holiday Safety Tips

Before you hang your lights and decorations, review these tips for a safe holiday season:

• Discard damaged electrical decorations and extension cords. Cracked sockets, bare or frayed wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or fire. Avoid overloading outlets. Choose lights that are UL safety certified.
• Never connect more than three strands of incandescent lights together. Do not pinch cords in windows or doors, or under heavy furniture.
• When decorating outside, make sure outdoor outlets are equipped with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI’s). Check that all items and extension cords are marked for outdoor use.
• Decorate your tree, live or artificial, with non-combustible or flame-resistant materials. 
• If purchasing a live Christmas tree, place the tree at least three feet away from all heat sources, including fireplaces and space heaters. For artificial trees, look for the label “fire resistant.”

Space Heater Safety Tips

As temperatures drop this winter, many will look for supplemental heating sources for their homes. Space heaters can be a good alternative for those who want to warm one area of their home without turning up the thermostat on the central heating system. However, space heaters are also responsible for 32 percent of house fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

If you are planning to use a space heater in your home this winter, keep you, your family and your property safe with these tips:

• Materials – Parts like metal grating can be hot to the touch and may burn anyone who gets too close. Make sure you purchase a heater that is cool to the touch and has guards over the coils just in case little fingers get too close. 
• Placement - While it can be tempting to place a small heater on a shelf so it is not in the way of pets and children, it is safest to leave the heater on a level floor on a nonflammable surface. Keeping the space heater on the floor can keep it from falling over, preventing fire hazards. Also, remember that space heaters and bathrooms are not a good combination, unless the heater is designed for bathroom use. Moisture can damage the heater.
  
  The most important rule about space heater placement is the three-foot rule. Whether you are using the heater in the bedroom, living room or kitchen, space heaters should always be kept three feet away from flammable materials and out of the way of children and pets.
• Special Features – Does your space heater have an auto shutoff function if tipped over? Auto shutoff can be a lifesaver. If you currently own a space heater without auto shutoff, consider purchasing a heater with this important safety feature. 
• Cords – You should never use an extension cord when plugging in a space heater as it can cause overheating. The space heater should be plugged directly into a wall outlet, and should be the only thing plugged in to the wall outlet. Also make sure cords aren’t in a high-traffic area so they are not a tripping hazard. 
• Use – Never leave a heater unattended while in use. If you are leaving your home or going to bed, make sure to unplug the heater.

Warm Weather Safety Tips

As the weather begins to warm up, kids and adults alike will soon head outside to perform winter clean-up and play. Before they do, remind them to look up and be alert for power lines and other electrical hazards, the best way to stay safe from electrocution.

For kids

• Never fly a kite on a rainy day or anywhere but an open space. A high point in the sky makes a kite a grounding point for lightning, and kites could easily become tangled in power lines.
• Don’t climb trees that are near power lines and poles—evergreens can disguise dangers this time of year; leaves during the spring and summer.
• Stay far away from power lines lying on the ground. You can’t tell if electricity is still flowing through them. If there’s water nearby, don’t go in it. Water is the best conductor of electricity.
• Obey signs that say “danger” and “keep out” around large electrical equipment, like substations. These signs aren’t warnings; they’re commands to keep you safe.
• Never climb a power pole.

For adults

• If power lines run through your trees, call Linn County REC so we can have them trimmed safely.
• Call 811 to have utility lines marked before you start digging.
• Starting that winter cleanup yard work? Sweep dried leaves and debris from outdoor receptacles.
• If they’re not already, consider upgrading your outdoor receptacles—or any outlets that could come in contact with water—to ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). GFCIs immediately interrupt power flow when a plugged-in device comes in contact with water. Regardless, keep your outlets and cords dry and covered outside.
• Use only weather-resistant, heavy-duty extension cords marked for outdoor use.

Generator Safety Tips

Portable generators are useful when temporary electric power is needed. If you have a portable generator or are considering buying one, remember these safety tips:

• Never plug a portable generator directly into one of your home’s outlets—unless you have had a licensed electrician install a “transfer switch” in your home. If you don’t have a transfer switch, power provided by the generator can “backfeed” along power lines, which can electrocute a lineman working on those lines.
• Portable generators create carbon monoxide, the odorless, colorless gas that can quickly become deadly if the generator isn’t exhausted outside. Attached garages with an open door don’t count—the carbon monoxide can still seep indoors and poison inhabitants.
• Generators must go outside in a dry area, which might mean you’ll need to rig a canopy to protect it from precipitation at a safe distance from your home’s windows, doors, and vents.
• Plug appliances directly into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for maximum load.
• Shut off the generator and allow cooling before refueling.