Electrical accidents at home happen more frequently than you would expect. But it's easy to learn how to prevent them, and doing so will guarantee that you feel safe within your home all year long.
Having an electrically risk-free home is important no matter what your domestic situation, but the six measures described below should be followed especially closely if you have young children.
Make a habit of checking wires and cords for cuts and damages. If you find that a cord is damaged in some way, refrain from using the electrical appliance until you can get it fixed or, even better, replaced.
Keep an eye out for overheating, short circuiting, or the appearance of smoke. All of these are signs that the heat, smoke or spark-emitting cord is dangerous and needs to be replaced.
To be extra safe, you should unplug all appliances when they aren't being used.
Until an appliance is needed again, the plug should be lying on the floor next to the nearest socket, with the socket switch off (if there is one).
Be very cautious of the water being used in the house. Electricity and water are both fundamental aspects of domestic living, but they should not have anything to do with one another.
Make a conscious effort not to go near power outlets or electrical appliances with wet hands, and keep all appliances away from any sources of water.
If you're using extension cords (which are often necessary) be sure not to overload them with too many plugs. Keep it simple; don't add adaptors to extension cords.
On the same note, make sure the extension cord is being used with the right amount of electricity in mind — check to see what voltage all of your extension cords are rated for.
When moving electrical appliances from one power outlet to another, be gentle. Always unplug the appliance before you move it, and be sure to use the grip on the plug itself to remove it from its socket.
Refrain from pulling and yanking at the plug's cord to get it out of the wall.
For the benefit of babies and pets, be tidy with your electrical devices.
Cords can get messy, so make sure they are all stored away somewhere safe until they need to be used.
Otherwise, a pile of stray cords piled up in plain sight could endanger young children and pets, who like to chew on things. They could also get tangled up in them and end up choking themselves.
But, if you follow these six simple rules for electrical safety, you'll eliminate most basic electrical risks from your home.
*Not only is it dangerous, it may even be illegal in some provinces, such as Québec, to do your own electrical wiring. The solution: consider hiring a master electrician.
