Electrical Safety Tips

Old electrical equipment

Electricity is an awesome resource that powers basically everything in our daily life. Although it is extremely useful, it can also be extremely dangerous if not handled properly. Here are some tricks to keep your family members and coworkers out of harm’s way.

Limit Exposure

Although it may not seem like it, your body is a conductor of electricity. Never try to dislodge bits of metal stick in electrical sockets with your bare hands or exposed metal tools. Also, avoid tampering with bare wires of any kind, the jolt received form these risky decisions could result in a debilitating injury. Installing plastic caps on faulty or unused outlets is also a good idea. It is important to keep a look out for old wires and keep up proper maintenance at home and at the work place.

Dangerous Waters

It is easy to forget to keep water away from electricity, especially when you have work to finish. Electrocutions frequently happen in kitchens, break rooms, and during outside work activities. It is important to dry, wet hands before handling electric equipment. Also, make sure that any outlet with a regular exposure to water has a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) installed to keep shorts to a minimum.

Know Your Surroundings

The main causes of electrical injuries are from a lack of awareness. Turn off electrical products you are not using and keep an eye out for live equipment. Be sure to only use equipment suitable for the environment you are in, always using proper safety gear. In case of emergency, make sure that those either residing or working in a location know where and how to shut off the power. Pay attention to outlets or power circuits with excessive currents running through them. This can easily overload circuit breakers or fuses. Overloads also happen when a power cord is running at the wrong amperage. If an electrical cord feels warm to the touch, that means it is at risk of overloading.

Remembering these tips can help avoid serious injury.

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