National electrical safety month

Published 3:05 pm Wednesday, May 12, 2004

By Staff Reports

By Staff
Can Your Home Pass an Electrical Safety Test?
May is National Electrical Safety Month. Please take the time this month to become electrically safe at home, school and work. Checking indoor outlets, power cords and extension cords may save your home and your life.
Front-page articles in local newspapers recently included two stories about house fires. Both blazes resulted in lost lives and lost homes. The Electrical Safety Foundation International reports that approximately three people die each day in electrical-related home fires. Many of those fires are related to problems at the outlets, power cords and extension cords. This is pretty scary to think about.
You can reduce the risk of becoming a "house-fire statistic" by conducting an electrical safety audit at your home. Here are a few things you can check:

  • Replace any missing or damaged wall plates. Hot or discolored wall plates may indicate dangerous heat buildup at the connections, so have a qualified licensed electrician check these immediately.
  • Always unplug appliances when you are not using them. This will help to conserve energy and minimizes opportunities for electric shock or fire.
  • Do not loop or twist power cords tightly around something when in use.
    For more information on electrical safety, visit ESFI's Web site at www.electrical-safety.org.

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