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Electrical Power Accidents at the Home can Be Prevented
By Maxwell Asser
Safety in your home and at work should be priority. With a few simple ordinary precautions most troublesome accidents can be prevented from happening/
Electrical accidents can occur in your household or at the jobsite at any time. Serious injury to you and your loved ones may occur. While you may have the insurance coverage this is not the issue. Fire departments have the role of fire prevention and you should play the role of accident prevention. Much good will done and aggravation and time saved. It is a case of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
An electrical injury occurs when electrical power current passes through the body from direct or indirect contact with electrical power.
Electrical injury may result from contact with faulty electrical appliances or machinery or inadvertent contact with household wiring or electrical power lines. Electrical injury can also occur from lightening and thunder storms. The severity of the injury ranges from minor to fatal and is determined by the intensity of the current, the type of current, the pathway of the current through the body, the duration of exposure to the electrical current.
Household current in the United States is categorized as Alternating Current (AC) current type whereas the current from a battery such as a car battery is referred to as Direct Current (DC). Alternating current which is used in most households in the United States is much more dangerous than direct current. Even a small amount of alternating current – which may be barely enough to be felt as a mild shock may cause a person's grip to freeze. The person can not "let go" further prolonging the time of exposure and damage including burns and pain. Slightly more alternating current than a mild shock can cause the chest muscles to contract making breathing impossible. Still more current can cause deadly heart rhythms and even death.
Turn off the power when working with electricity. You would not stick your head into a hot even. Turn off the power even if it includes such simple tasks such as changing light bulbs. Turn off the power whether it is wall switch, a plug that can be pulled from the light socket or at the worst the circuit breaker or fuse.
If you purchase electrical appliances and items make sure to research the products well. Are they suited to your use? Are they approved by a reputable insurance or consumer agency such as the venerable Consumers Reports, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or in Canada SA (safety approved)? You can easily research on the internet. Do they include a safety manual to easily ensure safe effective usage?
Ensure that power strips and surge protectors can handle. Don't create an octopus. But then again be aware if it is low power requirements such as many low power ac adapters for computer ad ons it is really not such an issue. Total power is the issue in power overload situations. . Avoid overlooking circuits – don't plug too many items into the same outlet.
You should be aware that flickering or dimming lights can be a sign of electrical wiring problems. If your home is 40 years old or more, of if you have had renovations consult a qualified electrician.
Next if you need to use a standby generator, be sure to plug appliances directly into the generator or use a heavy, three- pronged extension cord. Never plug a generator directly into house wiring – a dangerous occurrence known as backfeeding may result. If using a generator, have a qualified electrician install a power transfer switch in accordance with your government electrical code.
Replace damaged electrical equipment or have it repaired by an authorized outlook.
Cords that have frayed wires, loose connections or cracked sockets should be cut into pieces be thrown away into the garbage.
While it may take a bit of extra time on your part, good electrical habits will keep you and your family safe from potential injury. They may even save a life. So take the extra time and be sure that you and your loved ones are protected.
About the Author
Max Rubin
Electical Home Engineer
www.sellyourmanitobacottage.com
www.vintagecomputermanuals.com
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/50142.html
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