The Most Common Electrical Hazards You Face

That does one do when one is faced with any such problems? More often than not such issues tend to go unnoticed and people generally tend to shrug their shoulders off when they are faced with such situations.

POOR WIRING AND DEFECTIVE ELECTRIC WIRES

Good quality wiring that conforms to safety standards is vital for safety. Poor wiring can increase chance of fire, power surges, arc faults, and other serious consequences. For this reason, it’s always best to avoid do-it-yourself electrical work and get professional electricians to perform electrical wiring around the house. Damaged, worn, cracked or corroded electrical wires can increase the chance of electrical accidents. Have a qualified electrician check your wiring on a regular basis to ensure wiring is safe. If you need to, upgrade and replace old and faulty wires.

OUTLETS CLOSE TO WATER

Outlets in bathrooms, kitchens, and other living areas with water should be installed a fair distance away from the water source. As water conducts electricity, keeping outlets away from water reduces the chance of electric shock.

Never use a radio, hair dryer, phone, or other device in the bath, near the pool, or anywhere with a wet floor.

WET HANDS

Similarly, electrical appliances should never be handled with wet hands as this heightens the chance of getting an electric shock. Yet too many of us tend to reach for the hair dryer with wet hands out of the shower. Keep appliances far away from sinks, bathtubs, showers, and taps.

POURING WATER ON ELECTRICAL FIRES

A common error is pouring water on electrical fires. If an electrical fire does occur, avoid pouring water on the flames as water will further fuel the fire and could cause electrocution. Keep a fire extinguisher on site if you’re worried about electrical fires and use that instead of water in times of emergency. If you don’t have one nearby, turn off your electrical power, evacuate your home and call the fire brigade.

INQUISITIVE YOUNG CHILDREN

Young babies and toddlers tend to be extremely inquisitive and keen to explore their world. While it’s always best to supervise children of this age all the time, parents and adults expecting children at their house can take extra measures to protect young children. Any electrical outlet at their height and within their reach can be replaced with EXTRA-SAFE powerpoints. These can be interchanged with normal powerpoint and prevent sharp objects and fingers from going into the socket. Unprotected sockets can lead to serious injury.

EXTENSION CORDS

Extension cords should be carefully fixed in place where possible to reduce the chance of tripping or accident. Use plastic socket closures on unused sockets. Don’t use extension cords as a permanent substitute for additional power sockets, and avoid using them for too many appliances at once.

LIGHTBULBS

We don’t often think of lightbulbs as being electrical hazards, but the potential for an electrical fire arises when lightbulbs are kept near flammable materials. These can include beds, drapes, plastics, or other items such as upholstery. Lights, like all sources of electricity, can also cause electric shock, so ensure you always turn the light switch off before replacing a light bulb, and never replace a light bulb or touch a light switch with wet hands. Always ensure you use a light bulb with the correct wattage to prevent overheating.

FLICKERING OR DIMMING LIGHTS 

This might be a signal of some loophole in the connection altogether that can gradually lead to loose connections that would finally result in overheating and fire.

LIGHT BULBS BURNING OUT ALL THE TIME 

I am sure this is one problem every reader reading this blog must have experienced once in their lives. Lights that frequently fail are caused by overheating and these light fixtures are designed in such a way that they switch off so that they don’t cause fire.

FREQUENTLY TRIPPING BREAKERS 

This is a sure shot sign of an overloaded circuit and this also happens when too much electricity is consumed. If this happens it is always better to upgrade your electrical service.

WARM SWITCH 

A switch is not meant to warm, it should always be kept in mind that when a switch heats up it is the cause for a major concern and it should be addressed right away by a professional electrician.

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