Residential Safety Tips

Home Checklist
Electrical Safety
Extension Cords: Do's and Don'ts
Re - Locatable Power Taps (RPTs)/ Power Strips
Preparing for Power Outages
Using Portable Generators
Underground Utilities

Home Checklist

1. When you buy a new appliance, tool or other product, read and follow the instructions and warnings that come with it. Don't assume you know the best way to use something, or that you are familiar with all of the hazards involved.
2. Keep the instructions on file, and refer to them if you are repairing or doing maintenance on the product, or if you haven't used the product or appliance for a while.
3. Always use tools, appliances, electric devices and other products for their intended purpose. A screw driver doesn't make a very good chisel because it isn't sharp enough and the handle isn't made to be pounded on. In the same way, misusing products not only doesn't work very well, but it can produce surprising and serious hazards.
4. Don't let the cords from electric appliances dangle over countertops where someone could trip over them, or where a small child could pull on them.
5. Unplug portable and countertop appliances when you aren't using them, including such devices as hair dryers, electric shavers, coffee makers, and toasters.
6. Keep heaters, lamps, radios, televisions and telephones away from bathtubs, saunas, sinks and swimming pools.
7. Don't overload electric circuits. Don't try to draw more than 1,500 watts from the same circuit (you will find wattage on the device's name plate or in its booklet). Several outlets may be on the same circuit.
8. If you have fuses, use ones that have the right current or amp rating.
9. Turn off the main power switch before changing a fuse.
10. Don't use extension cords to replace permanent outlets. If you must use an extension cord, uncoil it while you use it.
11. You aren't supposed to use extension cords with some types of appliances or tools.

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Electrical Safety

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the top electrical safety hazards include electrical fires caused by aging wiring and misuse of surge suppressors, and electrocutions from wiring systems and large appliances. Electricity causes more than 40,000 fires ever year in the United States, resulting in hundreds of injuries and deaths.

1. Insulation is a primary protection against electric shock, but it can get worn or cracked. Inspect it regularly. Look for frayed cords on power tools.
2. Replace damaged electrical equipment or have it repaired at an authorized repair center. Replace frayed cords, broken plugs, or cracks that could cause hazards; cut and throw out damaged cords.
3. Plug grounded (3-wire) tools only into grounded outlets.
4. Don't pick up power tools by their power cords.
5. Read and obey all signs and posted warnings. Don't let these important sources of information become an unnoticed part of the landscape.
6. Don't work with electricity in the rain. Use ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection when working where water is near electricity, in areas such your kitchen, laundry room, bathroom or outdoors, to protect against electric shock.
7. Leave technical, complicated or confusing tasks involving electricity to electricians and other specialists. A little knowledge can definitely be a dangerous thing when it comes to wiring, troubleshooting and repairing electrical devices and circuits.
8. Use a wood or fiberglass ladder if you are working with or around electricity.
9. If you are working with someone who gets shocked, first make sure you shut down the source of the current. If the victim appears to still be touching the source of the shock, move him or her away using something make of wood or plastic.
10. Make sure that all appliances and equipment are approved by an independent testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
11. For appliances and equipment, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
12. When using a generator, plug appliances directly into the generator or use a heavy duty outdoor-rated extension cord that is free of cuts and tears and has a 3-prong plug.
13. Make sure power strips and surge suppressors are designed to handle the loads for their intended use. Don't overload circuits by plugging too many items into the same outlet.

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Extension Cords: Do's and Don'ts

1. If an extension cord is not marked for outdoor use, use it indoors only. The UL label will tell you if it is OK for outdoors.
2. Inspect the cord before you use it. Look for areas that are cracked or frayed. If you find any, dispose of the cord.
3. The appliance or tool that you are using the cord with will have a wattage rating on it. Match this up with your extension cord. Don't use a cord that has a lower rating.
4. Don't run extension cords through doorways, or through holes in ceilings, walls or floors.
5. Make sure the appliance or tool is off before you plug it into the cord.
6. Make sure the plug is fully inserted in the outlet.
7. Don't remove, bend or modify any of the metal parts of the cord's plug.
8. Don't plug a three-prong plug into a two-hole cord.
9. You shouldn't have to force a plug into an outlet.
10. If the plug is too loose in the outlet, the outlet may be too old and need replacing.
11. Some cords are polarized; one hole on the plug is larger than the other. Match up the outlet and the cord.
12. During use:
• Keep away from water.
• Don't use it when it is wet.
• Keep it away from children and pets.
• Don't plug one extension cord into another.
• Don't overheat the cord. Uncoil it, and don't cover it with anything.
• Don't drive over the cord. Don't drag it on lay anything on it.
• Don't walk on it.
13. After use:
• Remove it from an outlet by pulling on the plug, not the cord.
• Store it indoors.
• Unplug it when not in use.

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Re - Locatable Power Taps (RPTs)/ Power Strips

Also known as "power strips," "strip plugs," and "surge suppressors," these devices were developed as a way to plug in numerous computer peripherals (monitor, printer, scanner, modem, etc.). A typical array of these devices doesn't require a great deal of power (3-5 amps, 300-600 watts). However, many people make two major mistakes: they try to use RPTs as extension cords, or they plug in high-voltage devices to them, such as refrigerators, coffee pots, space heaters, microwave ovens and toasters.

1. Connect an RPT only to a permanent receptacle.
2. Do not connect RPTs in series or to an extension cord.
3. Use them only for their intended use, which should be listed on the instruction manual.
4. Avoid damage.
5. Keep them dry.
6. Don't plug in heavy appliances.
7. Don't use them outdoors.
8. Don't permanently secure them to structures, tables, work benches or walls.
9. Don't route them through walls, windows, ceilings or floors.
10. Don't use them as a substitute for permanent wiring.

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Preparing for Power Outages

1. Purchase needed items for your home, office and car, including: flashlights, batteries, AM/FM battery powered radio, rechargeable power failure lights, wind-up or battery alarm clock, and light sticks.
2. Have a 72-hour emergency kit for each family member.
3. Keep cash and change on hand. In power failures ATMs may not work.
4. Phones with answering machines and cordless phones are power dependent. Have at least one phone that does not require power in case you need to call 911. Keep your cell phone powered up.
5. Familiarize yourself with your main electrical panel. You may have to turn off the main breaker or reset circuit breakers after an outage.
6. If you use your fireplace for heat, be responsible! Do not burn wood with paint or stain. Do not leave an open flame. Make sure you close your fireplace screen to prevent sparks from flying. Do not store newspapers, kindling, or matches near the fireplace.
7. If you use candles for lighting, place them on a fireproof surface.
8. Make sure you have smoke detectors in appropriate rooms. Change the batteries regularly, preferably every 6 months, and test them monthly. If your smoke detectors are wired directly into the electrical system of your home, they will not operate during a power failure unless the batteries are working. Special smoke detectors are available for people with hearing impairment.
9. Have a fire extinguisher and know how to operate it. Have a fire evacuation plan and practice fire drills.
10. During the power outage, unplug all small appliances and electronics to avoid damage from a power surge. Leave one low wattage incandescent light on so you know when the power comes back on.
11. When power comes back on, you may have to reset your clocks, VCRs, microwave ovens, programmable thermostats, burglar and fire alarms.

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Using Portable Generators

Portable generators can be hazardous if used improperly. The hazards are carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from the toxic engine exhaust, and electrocution from connecting the generator to the home electrical wiring system.

1. Plug individual appliances into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance load.
2. Observe the generator manufacturer's instructions for safe operation.
3. Do not plug the generator into a wall outlet.
4. If connecting the generator into the house wiring is necessary, have a qualified electrician hook up the standby electrical system or have the local utility install a linking device if available.
5. Avoid connecting the electrical output of the generator into the house wiring. Instead, connect individual appliances that have their own outdoor rated power cord directly to the receptacle outlet of the generator, or connect these cord-connected appliances to the generator's electrical outlet via a suitable, outdoor-rated extension cord having a sufficient wire gauge to handle the electrical load.
6.  If connecting into the house wiring is necessary on a temporary basis to operate permanently wired equipment, such as a water pump, furnace blower/controls, room lighting, etc., there are important steps that require the utmost care to avoid electrocution. In some locations, the local utility company may offer to install a device at the electric meter socket to permit their customers to connect a portable generator to the household wiring during periods of power outages. If that service is not available or chosen, another method is to have a qualified electrician install a manual transfer switch.
7. A transfer switch permits transfer of the load from the household power source that is normally supplied by the electric utility over to the portable generator. The transfer switch should be certified by UL or other independent test lab for this application, and be mounted within an electrical box. Transfer switches and related accessories designed for connecting a standby system are available from electrical supply stores.
8. Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of the generator.

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Underground Utilities

1. As a homeowner working around your own home, digging can be dangerous if you don't check first for underground wiring or cables.
2. There can also be other underground utilities such as natural gas, water or sewer lines.
3. Most cities and large utility companies offer a free service that helps make the excavating process safe: a single phone number for the public to call to notify utilities with buried facilities that may be affected by the excavation project.
4. The goal of this service is to prevent personal injury, property damage, and damage to buried services during an excavation project.
5. Anyone who will be doing any digging--from planting a tree, to building a fence, to digging a foundation-should call first.