May-Electrical Safety Month
April showers bring May flowers! After a long, cold and bitter winter, spring is a welcome relief. What a great time to get outside, whether it is to plant or tend to your flower or vegetable gardens, plant or trim trees and shrubs, or just to do some needed maintenance around the home. However you choose to enjoy the spring weather, I want to remind you to be safe with electricity and around electric wires.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there are over 400 electrocutions in the United States annually. Ladders contacting power lines are responsible for nine percent of electrocutions while gardening and farming constitute another seven percent. Wiring hazards account for another 20 percent.
The electric distribution system that Egyptian Electric Cooperative utilizes, as do all other electric distribution systems, is isolated from items with the ability to conduct electricity by isolation. We use porcelain, epoxy and other insulators on top of poles, substations and anywhere else “live” electrical parts exist. We even include the air around the wires as a part of this isolation system.
This system of isolation works well to contain electric current until people or Mother Nature brings unintended items into the isolation zone. Trees or other conductive items brought within the area can cause electricity to take an unintended path, often with terrible results. At a minimum, an outage generally occurs; at worst, injury or death.
Within your home, the electric system uses isolation and insulation to provide safety. Isolation is used within your switch, outlet and main panel, while the covering on wire is used as insulation. Once again, when these are compromised, injury or death can occur.
Outdoor Safety
- Watch out for overhead power lines; those that are a part of the distribution system and those that serve your home or outbuildings. Before trimming or climbing trees, look over head. If trees are near or contacting power lines, do not trim them yourself or have someone who is not qualified do it. If they are near our lines, we’ll be happy to trim them safely for you, just give us a call. Before using ladders or power washers, always be aware of where power lines are and give them plenty of room.
- Before digging, call the Illinois One Call system for location of underground electric wires and other utilities at 811. All utilities with service in your area will locate their underground facilities within two working days (M-F).
- Never use electric mowers, trimmers or other electric tools when the grass is wet or in the rain. Never use a damaged or improperly repaired extension cord.
- Make sure all outlets outdoors or in a garage are protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). If you are working on a property you are not sure is protected, check with you local hardware or home improvement store for a portable device.
- When washing off your air-conditioner or heat pump coil (we recommend you do this before summer for both and in the fall also for heat pumps), make sure the power to the outdoor unit is disconnected. There should be a service disconnect within reach of the unit. Don’t use high pressure to wash as you might damage the fins.
- During lightning storms, always take adequate cover indoors. Discourage use of appliances if at all possible and use surge suppressors on those that must run (refrigerators). Lightning striking overhead or near underground cables can cause over-voltage to damage or destroy appliances.
- When storms do happen, stay away from downed power lines. Electricity cannot be seen, smelt or heard. You may think that downed line is not energized or is not an electric line, but leave that determination to the experts. And even if you really think that line is dead, still stay away. You never know when someone on that circuit may start up a generator that is improperly installed and back-feeds the line at 7,200 volts. As we serve rural areas, some of these circuits are over 10 miles long with many taps off them. That generator could be at the end of the line and still be a problem.
Indoor Safety
- Cover all unused electric outlets with child proof covers. Even if you don’t have small children at home, you never know who may visit. And, childproof covers help keep out the cold in winter!
- Never use any electric appliance near water. Portable electric heaters should never be used in bathrooms. If you need additional heat for a cool bathroom, look for one that can be permanently installed. Additionally, all circuits in bathrooms, kitchens and basements must be protected by GFCI’s.
- Do not run cords under rugs, carpets or place furniture on them.
- Make sure all light fixtures have bulbs in them. Removing a burned out bulb from a table lamp before having a replacement ready could lead to someone blindly reaching for the switch and accidently getting a finger in the socket.
- If your home is over 40 years old, consider having a certified electrician do an inspection of your electric system. A few dollars spent on precaution may prevent an electric fire or electrocution.
May is National Electrical Safety month and I urge you to take a moment to stop and think about electric safety. Visit www.safeelectricity.org for information and articles on electric safety around the home, farm or business. There’s even a section for teachers and activities for kids. I urge ALL moms and dads, and even grandmas and grandpas to take a moment with young ones to visit Safe Electricity’s Electrical Safety World under the Youth section. You might just keep a loved one safe this spring.
