Safety Rules
Electricity, as with other forms of energy, has safety rules. Here are some important general rules to follow when you use electricity:
How many of these electrical safety rules do you know? Always PLAY IT SAFE.
1. Stay Away From Powerlines
Overhead wires enter houses and buildings at places called service drops. Service drops are not insulated but are covered with a weatherproofing material. This material may become brittle and fall off. It is important not to touch wires at service drops or any outside powerline for that matter.
2. Never Tug On A Cord
Since electricity is almost everywhere you are, you need to learn how to be safe all the time. Whether you're at home or at school, it's important to be extremely careful around electricity.
Remember:
- Disconnect appliances by tugging on the plug, not the cord.
- Appliances plugged into an outlet, even when turned off, still have a tiny bit of electricity coming into them. Follow basic common sense safety rules when using appliances.
3. Keep Fingers Away!
- Keep fingers and other objects away!
- Avoid touching metal parts of a plug when connecting an appliance.
4. Keep Electrical Appliances Away From Water
Keep electrical appliances like hair dryers and radios away from showers, sinks, and bathtubs.
Remember that when you're wet, your body makes a good conductor for electricity. Make sure your hands are totally dry before you handle an electrical appliance.
5. Don't Overload Outlets
Make sure the outlets in your home are not overloaded with too many plugs.
This could cause a short circuit and possibly a fire.
Appliance cords are covered with insulation to protect you from touching the bare wires inside.
Wires conduct electricity. Always beware of appliance cords that might have frayed or damaged insulation.
6. Stay Away!
Storms or accidents can sometimes cause power lines to fall to the ground. It's hard to tell whether a wire lying on the ground is carrying electricity.
Stay away from ANY wire on the ground. If you spot a downed wire, IMMEDIATELY call your local police and power company. You can keep others from getting near the downed wire until help arrives.
7. Danger High Voltage
Substations are fenced areas where huge power transformers sit. The electricity inside the transformers is extremely strong and dangerous. Substations are marked with DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE signs. Don't even go near the fence surrounding a substation.
Some power lines are buried underground. They are controlled by a special type of transformer in a large metal cabinet that sits on a concrete pad. This transformer is called a padmounted transformer.
It's also marked with DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE signs.
- Never climb or play around padmounted transformers.
- Report any broken locks on transformer cabinet doors to your police and your power company.
- Don't put fingers or other objects through cracks in a padmounted transformer.
Don't dig or plant flowers or shrubs near padmounted transformers.
8. Safety First
- Never raise ladders or antennas near power lines.
- Keep skimmer poles far away from overhead lines when cleaning swimming pools.
- Keep sailboat masts away from power lines.
9. Keep Kites and Balloons FAR AWAY
Keep kites and balloons FAR AWAY from power lines! Since overhead power lines are not insulated, a kite or balloon string can conduct electricity to the ground.
10. Look Out For Tree Limbs that are Near Wires
Tree limbs that grow up near power lines can be unsafe. If you climb such a tree, you could get hurt from electrical shock.
Review these safety rules often. Avoid accidents by treating electricity with care!
