subject: Public Safety - Be Electrical Safe Around The Home & Cottage [print this page] Many property owners will complain frequently about the costs of their home and fire insurance protection packages. Take matters into your hands. Accept responsibility. Have an electrical power safety audit done professionally. A major role of fire departments is to prevent fires and potentially death causing accidents
EXTENSION CORD SAFETY - Purchase cords from reputable stores. - Winnipeg auto authority William Simpson points out that you may see bargain priced electrical block heater cords at your local Winnipeg Canadian tire store. These block heater cords may seem like a good purchase at a discount price and may even have an orange led indicator of power on. They of course can be used for a myriad of other uses around the home or office , other than simply automobile use.Mr. Simpson warns to check the amperage rating. For a block heater in the winter these are fine.Yet add extra amperage - say an interior car heater and a downright dangerous situation may arise on overload - even melting the cable. In the same manner if the cabling is used over capacity , for another similar well intentioned use - disaster may occur. - Extension power cords are rated for amperage by length. Do not defeat this safety calculation and parameter by foolishly joining one set of cords to another to cover a greater distance. - Always consider the length of the cord that you will use when buying one. - Routinely check extension cord before use. - Damaged cords should be replaced urgently.
- Many people foolishly run extension cords under their permanent fixtures or rugs. Some have even been known to run a block heater cord out the front door across the sidewalk in the dead of winter only to receive a large city of Winnipeg police fine.Atta boy Kirk. - Temporary extending cables are simply that "temporary" not to be lain in place , lazily forever. Call 411 to dial up your local electrician for an appointment. - Who would ever think of pushing a simple electrical power circuit to its danger limit. Yet many foolishly do either by rank laziness or ignorance. Make it a solid rule.One serious heavy duty apparatus per plug. Why push good fortune and good luck.Those that push the edge become unglued. Its only a matter of time , stats and numbers. A ten of one percent done a million times works out to one huge number.What play with statistics and stats to you and your families detriment.
- Warm electrical coverings should be a warning sign of impending caution.Have a pro inspect your system.On top of that you may qualify , with a guaranteed inspection report of substantial discounts in your home coverage payment premiums. - Never touch broken cords.
You may well have seen an electrical receptacle with a push button switch at your last stay at Hotel 8. These are advanced electrical safety devices with a built in integral circuit breaker. This device detects ground faults. Ground faults happen when current is leaking somewhere and electricity escapes into the ground. Its a simple equation. Reduce the amount of bandwidth use in any power circuit and you will reduce your chances of disaster. If in doubt call in a professional electrician for a maintenance upgrade. You may get a rate reduction in your home and fire insurance premiums.
APPLIANCE SAFETY - Often for convenience kitchen appliances are placed nearby a burning electric or gas range.
Atta boy Kirk - great for "convenience"and "ease of use" but just a terrible ploy for safe use. - Humid areas of your home are dangerous areas to operate electrical devices. Reduce the humidity and moisture levels. - A standard adage in the electrical trades are never to touch powered items when moist , even to the point of having your boots in a puddle in the basement. - Its a simple yet overlooked strategy when it comes to electrical safety. Just like computer professional Doug Heppenstall teaches - when working on a computer motherboard simply unplug the ac power cord as a matter of routine and habit. In the same way when not using power devices its as easy as pie to unplug the device from the wall.Especially potential fire hazards like electric kettles , electric coffee makers and clothes irons falls into this meld. - Follow the manufacturer's instruction for plugging an appliance into a receptacle outlet. - Make sure an appliance is off before plugging it. - Avoid using electric appliance in the bathroom. - Pull out the cord of any electrical device by firmly grasping the plug itself , directly at the power socket. Do not play the "lazy man's way" by pulling the wire across the room.This is not only the "lazy man's way"but also the "dead man's" procedure. Atta boy Kirk.
Especially if there are children around we should ramp up our home electrical power safety danger levels in our mind's eye. You can bet that your children, almost with feline curiosity will dram up and imagine any way possible to "stick it in". Look at the Japanese Lexus models as an example.
Quality was built in as a process , not added in after as problems occurred. It seems that some people like to run by "crisis management" having fun stomping out crises fire by fire. Others play a much more reasonable and less troublesome tac - by simply planning ahead and following through. Remember your local fire department places a major emphasis on fire prevention.How terrible ! How avoidable. Child electrical shock and even worse.If you have ever seen the results of such a case at your local hospital emergency ward, or listened to the despair of a family such affected you will truly know that one ounce of prevention is worth many tons of results many many times over. Place any connecting cables out of harm's way
Out of site is out of mind. Why leave cords and cables dangling unnecessarily in view and in the wind. You will be limited from initiating the power to these apparatus and gadgets. 100 % sure is safe.
Its like the old adage if you do not take off your pants the girl .You can purchase simple safety outlet covers for electrical outlets at your local Canadian Tire or Home Depot big box store.
It is no one elses responsibility for basic electrical safety in the home , condo office or retirement chalet than yourself.Ted Stevens look in the mirror. Play it power safe. Remember Smokey the Bear says its best to prevent forest fires.
Remember lightening and electrical power accidents can happen in a flash to both yourself and your family - It may be your condominium, house , apartment or retirement property at Lake Manitoba Narrows
It may even be your treasured castle.Play it safe. Safety does not cost time and effort.Safety pays.
