Working with electricity and electrical equipment can be a serious workplace safety hazard. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed industry standards for employees in the engineering and electrician fields, but many people, including office workers, sales people and even stay-at-home moms, can become exposed to the hazards posed by working with electricity and electrical equipment. Learning some general safety rules for working with electricity and electrical equipment can help you avoid injury and even death.


1. If plugs seem to fit loosely into wall outlets, the wall outlet may need repair. A loose-fitting wall outlet can cause overheating. Have an electrician check the outlet.
2. Use light bulbs that are the proper wattage for your lamp or lighting fixture. A bulb of too high wattage or the wrong type may lead to overheating and cause a fire.
3. Use only extension cords that have been listed by a recognized certification organization such as Underwriters Laboratory.
4. Remember, electricity and water don’t mix. Keep all electrical products and cords, such as radios, televisions, hair dryers and curling irons away from water.
5. Never reach into water to get an appliance that has fallen in without first unplugging the appliance.
6. Unplug the toaster or toaster oven (then let it cool) before using a knife or fork to remove a stuck slice of bread or bagel.
7. To prevent overheating, make sure nothing covers your electric blanket. Don’t tuck in the sides or ends of your electric blanket.
8. Make sure your electric blanket is in good condition. Look for cracks or breaks in the wiring, plugs or connectors and look for charred spots on both sides of the blanket surface. Any of these conditions indicate a potential fire hazard.
9. Never go to sleep with an electric heating pad turned on.
10. Use extension cords on a temporary basis; they are not safe as permanent household wiring. Make sure the cord is not wrapped around itself or another object.
11. Check the electrical rating on appliances and extension cords. Do not plug one extension cord into another unless they are the same rating.
12. Don’t run electrical cords underneath rugs, carpets or furniture. Walking on cords can break wiring and cause a fire.
13. Keep all electrical cords out of reach and out of sight so that children and pets won't pull appliances off tables or counters.
14. Never leave lamp sockets empty. Always replace burned out light bulbs immediately.
15. Put safety covers on all wall outlets. Avoid ornamental safety caps that may tempt a child to play with wall outlets.
16. Fuses and circuit breakers are safety devices located on your electrical panel. Use the correct size fuse for your fuse box. Replacing a fuse with the wrong size can be a fire hazard.
17. Even small appliances, such as hair dryers, curling irons, or toasters, can be potentially dangerous if left plugged in, especially during an electrical storm.
18. Never remove the third prong of a three-pronged plug. It can protect you from electrical shock. Instead, convert two-pronged outlets to fit three-pronged plugs using an adapter with a grounding tab.
19. Turn off electrical products if the cord overheats.
20. When using electrical equipment outside, use only weather-resistant heavy gauge extension cords marked for outdoor use.
21. Be sure amperage ratings for outdoor extension cords are higher than those electrical products they are used with. Check owner’s manuals and electrical labels. (Amp ratings can range from one for a bug killer to 15 for a snow blower.)
22. Outdoor electrical equipment should be turned off when being carried or hooked up to attachments, such as mower baskets.
23. Contact your local electric utility before you trim or cut down trees that are near overhead powerlines.
24. Never try to repair electrical products yourself unless you are a qualified electrician.
25. Check with your electric utility before digging. Make sure you know the location of buried electrical lines even in your back yard. Call Blue Stake before you dig, 800-STAKE-IT.
26. Use your electrical outdoor equipment such as electrical clippers or trimmers and mowers in dry weather.
27. Keep cords out of your path or work area. Always know where the cord is located at all times.
28. Put a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) between your electric power source and your electric product. In a mishap, a GFCI can cut off power in less than a second.
29. To avoid electric shock during a lightning storm, avoid using a phone or fax machine.
30. Select a dry day to power up electrical equipment or power tools outdoors.
31. Make sure all your outdoor outlets are waterproof and covered.


Thanks

Thanks for sharing useful tips

Keep sharing useful information that can enhance our knowledge.

Have a nice time ahead.

Regards !

* Don't remove a plug from a power point by pulling on the cord; pull the plug instead.
* Use socket covers on sockets accessible to young children.
* Never plug adaptors into adaptors and avoid using adaptors filled with plugs where possible.
* Switch off electrical items that are not in regular use at the plug and ensure that when we are away from the house for any length of time that you unplug and switch off electrical items as items left plugged in can be a fire risk and waste energy if left on standby.
* Do not use any electrical items in the bathroom unless specifically designed for use there, eg. Shavers and electric toothbrushes. Even with these items however, take care not to get wet and avoid plugging and unplugging with wet hands.
* Do not use items with damaged cords so that the wires are exposed. Either repair or replace. Check items regularly.
* Do not use damaged sockets, replace with care when necessary.
* Always turn the electrics off at the mains if carrying out any electrical repairs and only attempt repairs if you know what you are doing.
* Ensure any electrical items are approved standard when purchasing and keep them correctly maintained where necessary. Look for the BEAB seal of approval.
* Do not use electrical equipment outside if it's raining.
* Use the correct wattage light bulb for all light fittings.
* Circuit breakers and fuses should be the correct size current rating for their circuit.

# Never play with electrical cords, wires, switches, or plugs.

# Stay away from fallen power lines. Tell an adult if you see a fallen line.

# Never use a hairdryer or play an electrical radio or television near a bathtub or sink.

# Before you climb a tree, look up. If a power line is nearby or touching, stay away from the tree.

# Never touch anything that runs on electricity when your hands are wet.

# Fly kites and model airplanes in a wide open field or park—never near overhead electrical wires.

# Never climb utility poles or electrical towers.

Every year in the United States over 400 workers are killed by electric shock. Most of these deaths and injuries can be prevented with these nine electric shock safety tips.

1. Inspect equipment cords and extension cords before each use. Every electrical cord should be treated as a live one.
2. Never cut off the third prong of a plug. If plug doses not have three prongs or if the receptacle dose not have three openings make sure the equipment is grounded another way before use.
3. Only qualified electricians should repair equipment or work on energized lines.
4. Take out of service faulty equipment or plugs with bent or missing prongs
5. Do not disconnect electrical cords by pulling on them.
6. If smell of hot or burning plastic, smoke, sparks or flickering of lights is noticed, turn off the power immediately and report it.
7. If a slight shock or tingling is felt turn off the power immediately and report it.
8. To insure the circuit cannot be turned on when you are working on it, be sure to turn off, lock out and tag the electrical panel.
9. Get training in first aid and cardio-pulmonary response (CPR) if you regularly work on or around electrical equipment.

Child Electrical Safety

Electricity is an essential technology in today’s world. Without it, people get sick, food becomes unavailable, and hazards are presented to families when they go without electricity.

Electricity does not just make sure that your lights stay on, it runs the essence and heart of your home.

We can’t live without it. But electricity can be very dangerous, particularly when there are small children around.

All of the things that encompass electrical appliances and items that require electricity are all very interesting and fascinating to little fingers and tiny mouths.

How do you protect your children from the electricity that you need to run your household?

There are a few basic things that you need to know, and implement in your home, to maximize child electrical safety in your home.

1. When buying electrical equipment or appliances, always look for the Underwriters Laboratories seal of approval and make sure it applies to the entire appliance, not just the plug or cord.
2. Do not drape electrical cords or wire over radiators or pipes or other metal objects.
3. When working outside, avoid contact with overhead power lines or exposed wires. Be careful when installing CB antennas or towers. Improperly installed antennas might topple and cause power outages, injuries and even death.
4. Check all extension and appliance cords frequently to be sure they are not worn or frayed. If they are, replace them immediately. Don’t patch a broken cord.
5. Do not place electrical cords so they run through doorways or under carpets.
6. Do not plug power tools or heavy appliances into a lamp socket. Plug them into a wall outlet. Lamp cords are not made to carry a heavy electrical load.
7. Do not pull a plug from a wall outlet by the cord. Grasp the plug itself and pull it straight out.
8. Do not leave irons or other heating appliances plugged in when not in use or when no one is present.
9. If you have doubts about appliance grounding, cord sizes, or other electrical questions, check with a licensed electrician.
10. Fly kites only in open fields, away from electric wires. Do not use wire, metal or wet string on a kite. If your kite catches in a wire or on a high pole, don’t try to remove it—call your electric utility. Don’t use metal in making a kite. Don’t fly kites on or near a public highway. Don’t fly a kite in wet or stormy weather.
11. Be sure tools and appliances are properly grounded. A three-prong plug used in a two-wire receptacle must have an adapter. Connect the “pigtail” wire on the adapter to the metal screw on the outlet cover plate to get grounding protection. Never use a tool or appliance with a two-wire connection outdoors or in a damp location.
12. Water conducts electricity. Be careful when you are using electrical appliances near water. Do not touch an electrical switch while your hands are damp. No electrical cord or appliance should be handled while in water.
13. Improper handling of electrical appliances can cause fire. Don’t let wires overheat. Disconnect if there are any sparks. All electrical wires are designed to carry only a certain amount of electricity. Overloading them causes them to overheat, gradually destroys the insulation, and can create a hazard. Turn off any appliance that smokes or stops running.
14. To prevent overheating, make sure the cord is large enough to carry the electricity necessary to operate the tool or appliance. Heavy duty extension cords should be used with portable tools and other heavy duty appliances—never ordinary lamp cords.
15. Never touch, kick, pull or attempt to pick up a fallen wire. Even a telephone wire could be deadly if tangled with a power line some distance away. Notify your electric utility and keep other people away until utility repair people arrive.