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Fire Safety
Electrical Safety
Know the Facts — According to N F P A...
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On average there are 38,400 home fires per year associated with wiring,
switches, outlets, cords and plugs, fuse and circuit breaker boxes, and
other equipment involved in distributing electricity around the home. These
electrical service equipment fires annually kill 352 people and injure 1,343
annually.
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Fixed wiring causes 1/3 of home electrical distribution fires.
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Cords and plugs cause 1/6 of home electrical distribution fires and 1/3 of
related deaths. In many cases, people can easily check and fix them, if
necessary, without a licensed electrician.
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Each year, electrical shock (not resulting in a fire) causes hundreds of
burn deaths and thousands of burn injuries.
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Nearly 2/3 of electrical burn injuries among children ages 12 and under are
associated with household electrical cords and extension cords.
Electrical safety tips
G-F-C-I's: (ground fault circuit interrupters) can greatly reduce the risk of
shock by shutting off faulty electrical circuits and equipment faster than
conventional fuses or circuit breakers can. G-F-C-I's are inexpensive;
professional electricians can hard-wire them into your home electrical system.
Push Back: In the kitchen, push back cords for countertop appliances to keep
young children from pulling them off the counter.
Safety Advice
- Replace or repair with a loose or frayed cord.
- Avoid running extension cords across doors or under carpets.
- In homes with small children, electrical outlets should have plastic
safety covers.
- Follow the manufacturer's instructions for plugging an appliance
into a receptacle outlet. Most receptacle outlets contain two
receptacles. As an added precaution, consider plugging only one
high-wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet.
- Avoid the use of "cube taps" and other devices that allow the
connection of multiple appliances into a single receptacle.
- Place lamps on level surfaces away from things that can burn.
- Use bulbs that match the manufacturer's recommended wattage.
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