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Residential -- Commercial -- Industrial

Ceiling Fan Installation / Maintenance
Breakers and Fuses
Code Corrections
Outlets and Circuits
Track and Accent Lighting
Service Panel Upgrades
High-Tech Troubleshooting
Dedicated Computer Circuits
Data / Communication Lines
Lighting Design & Maintenance
Security & Landscape Lighting
Surge Protectors
Motors
Exhaust Fans
Electric Water Heaters
Transformers
Smoke Detectors
Ground Fault Interrupt Circuits
Appliance Circuits
Hot Tubs and Spas

Residential Safety Checklist

Checks you can make in your home today to help it be more electrically safe.

Outlets
Check for outlets that have loose-fitting plugs, which can overheat and lead to fire. Replace any missing or broken wall plates. Make sure there are safety covers on all unused outlets that are accessible to children.

Cords
Make sure cords are in good condition – not frayed or cracked. Make sure they are placed out of traffic areas. Cords should never be nailed or stapled to the wall, baseboard or to another object. Do not place cords under carpets or rugs or rest any furniture on them.

Extension cords
Check to see that the cords are not overloaded. Additionally, extension cords should only be used on a temporary basis. They are not intended as permanent household wiring. Make sure extension cords have safety closures to help prevent children from shock hazards and mouth burn injuries.

Plugs
Make sure your plugs fit your outlets. Never remove the ground pin (the third prong) to make a three-prong plug fit a two-conductor outlet; this could lead to an electrical shock. NEVER FORCE A PLUG INTO AN OUTLET IF IT DOESN’T FIT. Plugs should fit securely into outlets. Avoid overloading outlets with too many appliances.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)
GFCIs can help prevent electrocution. They should be used in any area where water and electricity may come into contact. When a GFCI senses current leakage in an electrical circuit, it assumes a ground fault has occurred. It then interrupts power fast enough to help prevent serious injury from electrical shock. Test GFCIs regularly according to the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure they are working properly.

Light bulbs
Check the wattage of all bulbs in light fixtures to make sure they are the correct wattage for the size of the fixture. Replace bulbs that have higher wattage than recommended; if you don’t know the correct wattage, check with the manufacturer of the fixture. Make sure bulbs are screwed in securely. Loose bulbs may overheat.

Circuit breakers/fuses
Circuit breakers and fuses should be the correct size and current rating for their current circuit. If you do not know the correct size, have an electrician identify and label the size to be used. Always replace a fuse with the same size fuse.

Water and electricity don’t mix
Don’t leave plugged-in appliances where they might come into contact with water. If a plugged-in appliance falls into water, NEVER reach in to pull it out – even if it’s turned off. First turn off the power source at the panelboard and then unplug the appliance. If you have an appliance that has gotten wet, don’t use it until it has been checked by a qualified repair person.

Appliances
If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse, trips a circuit breaker, or if it has given you a shock, unplug it and have it repaired or replaced.

Entertainment/computer equipment
Check to see that the equipment is in good condition and working properly; look for cracks or damage in wiring, plugs, and connectors. Use a surge protector bearing the seal of a nationally recognized certification agency.

Outdoor safety
Electric-powered mowers and other tools should not be used in the rain, on wet grass or in wet conditions. Inspect power tools and electric lawn mowers before each use for frayed power cords, broken plugs and cracked or broken housings. If damaged, stop using it immediately. Repair it or replace it. Always use an extension cord marked for outdoor use and rated for the power needs of your tools. Remember to unplug all portable power tools when not in use. Since metal ladders conduct electricity, watch out for overhead wires and power lines.

Lighting
During an electrical storm, do not use appliances (i.e. hairdryers, toasters, and radios) or telephones (except in an emergency); do not take a bath or shower; keep batteries on hand for flashlights and radios in case of a power outage; and use surge protectors on electronic devices and appliances.

Space heaters
Space heaters are meant to supply supplemental heat. Keep space heaters at least 3 ft. away from any combustible materials such as bedding, clothing, draperies, furniture, and rugs. Don’t use in rooms where children are unsupervised and remember to turn off and unplug when not in use.

Halogen floor lamps
Halogen floor lamps operate at much higher temperatures than a standard incandescent light bulb. Never place a halogen floor lamp where it could come in contact with draperies, clothing or other combustible materials. Be sure to turn the lamp off whenever you leave the room for an extended period of time and never use torchiere lamps in children’s bedrooms or playrooms.

Protect yourself and your home from electrical hazards
By recognizing electrical hazards that may be present in your home, you can protect your family, home and assets from damage caused by electrical surges.

To prevent such damage, consider using lightning protection systems and surge protection devices and investing in Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs), and follow some general prevention tips.

Where do electrical surges come from?
Electrical surges happen in storms when:

Electric utility lines touch one another

Power grid switching occurs
Air conditioning units, furnaces, refrigerators or vacuum cleaners turn on and off.
Lightning strikes within two miles of a home

Lightning Protection Systems
Provide a direct path for the lightning to follow to the ground
Prevent destruction, damage, injury or death as it travels that path

When there is lightning nearby:
Do not use the telephone except in an emergency.

Stay away from electrical appliances, TVs, fireplaces, metal objects, windows or doors.

Seek shelter immediately in an enclosed building or vehicle.

If you cannot find shelter, find a low lying area, crouch down with feet together and hands on your knees until the storm is over.
Avoid isolated trees, high ground, bodies of water or large open areas.

If someone is injured, administer first aid, if you are qualified to do so, and call for emergency help. You cannot be shocked by someone who has been hit by lightning.

Surge Protection Devices
Properly installed surge protection devices (SPDs), combined with a good grounding system, should protect your electronic and electrical appliances from all but the most severe electrical surges. An SPD does not suppress or arrest a surge; it actually diverts the surge to the ground.

Each time a surge occurs, the damage to the electronic or electrical appliance accumulates, weakening the appliance components until they finally fail.

Things to consider when looking for SPDs:

The surge protector should be listed to UL Standard 1449.

The surge protector must be capable of protecting all power and signal lines that are connected to the protected equipment.

Examples of signal lines: phone lines and coaxial cable from satellite, cable TV or external antenna.

Select a surge protector that has an indicating light and/or audible alarm to show when it needs replacement.

Look for SPDs that come with a manufacturer's warranty. Some warranties cover only the device; others also cover the damaged equipment and electrical wire insulation chewed by rodents.

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)
AFCIs are able to detect certain types of dangerous arcing conditions. They look and work just like conventional circuit breakers and fit into electrical panels in the same way. Not only do they protect against overloads and short circuits, but they also electronically sense arcing.

Consider using AFCIs in older homes that may have aged or damaged electrical wire insulation. It may also be wise for newly constructed houses to have an AFCI due to electrical wires that may have been damaged by nails and screws that are concealed inside walls and ceilings.

Service Entrance Lines
Use caution around above-ground service entrance lines. Contact with entrance lines by objects such as ladders or a child's kite could result in electrocutions.

Contact the utility company before digging around underground service entrances.

Fuse and Circuit Breaker Boxes
Enclose fuses and circuit breakers in a panel box. Interior wiring should never be visible. Always keep the panel door closed and latched.

Keep the area around the electrical panel free of combustible materials.

If you notice burn marks, hear buzzing or cracking or smell burning plastic around or inside the electrical panel, have a qualified electrician check the panel immediately.

Keep on hand spare fuses of the proper size for the circuit they protect. Over fusing presents a severe fire hazard as circuits can overheat when they carry more current than that for which they were designed.

When screw-type fuses require replacement, S-type fuses should be used.

If fuses blow or circuit breakers trip frequently, it may be an indication that the circuits are overloaded. Have a qualified electrician inspect the circuit and make the appropriate repairs.

Electrical Cords
Extension cords are a temporary, not permanent, wiring solution.

Avoid overheating by using extension cords of the proper size for the load they will carry and by using cords as short as practical.

Regularly check cords for damage and never repair by splicing.

Avoid using "octopus plugs" which allow many cords to be plugged into a single receptacle.

Electrical Appliances and Tools
Hire a qualified electrician to replace two prong outlets with three prong GFCI outlets if your appliances have three prong plugs. Never remove the grounding prong on an appliance cord.

Unplug any appliance or tool that gives even the slightest shock (i.e. tingling sensation) and have it checked by a qualified electrician or repair person.

Children and Electrical Outlets
Electrical outlets are usually installed at a height at or near a child's eye level, and a child's curiosity can draw them to explore, making electrical outlets a source of worry for many parents.

The chance of electrocution is small, but the results can be devastating. According to a 1994 estimate of electrocutions released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were 890 deaths in 1984, decreasing to 560 in 1994. (These figures include all age groups and count only fatalities and not shocks and injuries.)

In another study conducted in 1997, the CPSC found:

86 percent of reported injuries involved children 1 to 4 years old
The highest frequency of home electrical injuries occurred at mealtimes
The most commonly used foreign objects inserted into outlets were keys and hairpins
This indicates that many home electrocution and shock injuries involve unsupervised children. There are simple measures that can be taken to avoid injury or death to a child.

Plastic outlet protectors
Most of us are familiar with plastic outlet protectors. The prongs fit directly into the outlet holes, preventing the insertion of foreign objects. But many parents say they feel a little uneasy about the effectiveness of these devices. A study of 37 children conducted in 1997 by the Biokinetics Research Laboratory of Temple University seems to confirm their reservations:

47 percent of 4-year-olds and 31 percent of 2-year-olds could remove protectors with a round, flat face and two prongs
47 percent of 4-year-olds and 18 percent of 2-year-olds could remove protectors with a 3/16-inch thick oval face and a tapered side
100 percent of 2- and 4-year-olds could remove protectors with a 1/16-inch thick oval face and a flat side

Child tamper-resistant outlets
A few electrical device manufacturers make electrical outlets that are intended to prevent a child from inserting something into the outlet holes. They look just like any other outlet, but behind the face of the receptacle are plastic shutters.

These shutters are designed to remain closed until a plug is inserted. When something is inserted into both vertical outlet holes at the same time, the interior plastic shutters open. Its safety is premised on the fact that most young children will not try to stick two objects into the two vertical outlet holes at the same time.

These outlets cost $4 to $6 each, as compared to $1 to $3 each for a typical electrical outlet receptacle. They require no additional labor to install than typical outlet receptacles. These outlets are available through your local electrical supply store or your electrician.

Child tamper-resistant outlet face covers
Electrical outlet receptacle covers have faces that swivel or slide over the outlet holes. Some are intended as replacement face covers; others install over existing outlet face covers.

The electrical outlet face covers cost anywhere from $3 to $6 each. Those that replace the existing outlet face cover can be bought from your local electrical supply store or your electrician. The after-market faceplate that fits over the existing outlet faceplate is sold through baby product magazines, discount stores and building supply stores.