Do you have any idea what those buttons on your bathroom’s electrical outlet are for? Would you know if your home’s circuits were overloaded? The Electrical Safety Foundation International urges you to learn the answers to these and other questions about your home’s electrical system.
Do you have any idea what those buttons on your bathroom’s electrical outlet are for? Would you know if your home’s circuits were overloaded?
The Electrical Safety Foundation International urges you to learn the answers to these and other questions about your home’s electrical system.
According to the Consumer Protection Safety Commission, there was an annual average of 104,500 unintentional, electrical, residential structure fires from 1999-2003. These resulted in about 500 deaths, 4,280 injuries and nearly $1.5 billion in property loss. CPSC’s latest data (2003) indicate that there were an estimated 160 electrocutions related to consumer products.
“Knowledge can save your life,” said ESFI President Brett Brenner. “If you know the signs of an overloaded electrical circuit or how to test a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet, you can prevent electrocution or electrical fires.”
ESFI recommends that consumers focus on several safety issues.
- Use ESFI’s Indoor Electrical Safety Checklist to evaluate the electrical systems inside your home and find opportunities to make improvements.
-Use ESFI’s Outdoor Electrical Safety Checklist to ensure that you “Look Up! Look Down! Look Out for Safety!” And remember to call 811 before you dig to prevent electrocution from underground power lines.
-If your window air conditioning unit is connected by extension cords to the other side of the room, it’s time to talk about safe use of extension cords. Download ESFI’s brochure, “Use Extension Cords Safely.”
-Electrical safety begins in the home, but it shouldn’t end there. If your power strip looks like a bowl of spaghetti, you’re putting yourself, and your co-workers, at risk of electric shock or electrical fire. Perform an electrical safety inspection of your office.
Taking these simple safety precautions could prevent you from being one of the thousands of people injured or even killed by preventable electrical hazards each year.
For information, visit www.electrical-safety.org or call 703-841-3229.
— Submitted on behalf of ESFI by Breton Electric of Wakefield. For additional safety tips, information about reducing energy costs, how to recycle mercury-containing bulbs, and more, call 781-245-0787 or visit www.bretonelectric.com.