Start this year safely. Make safety a priority. Many electrical accidents can be avoided with few simple precautions.

Electrical accidents can occur in any household and at any time. Serious fires and injury to you and your loved ones may occur. While you may have house insurance household insurance will not bring back loved ones or even begin to pay for the time and aggravation you will entail. Never even mind dealing with those lovely people at the insurance company to whom, you pay yearly premiums for your household insurance.

It is a basic rule in life that an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure. In this case an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure – in damage and aggravation.

An electrical injury occurs when a current passes through the body, interfering with the function of an internal organ or sometimes burning tissue.

Electrical injury may result from contact with faulty electrical appliances or machinery or inadvertent contact with household wiring or electrical power lines. Electrical injury can also occur from lightening and thunder storms. The severity of the injury ranges from minor to fatal and is determined by the intensity of the current, the type of current, the pathway of the current through the body, the duration of exposure to the electrical current.

Household current in the United States is categorized as Alternating Current (AC) whereas the current from a battery such as a car battery is referred to as Direct Current (DC). Alternating current which is used in most households in the United States is much more dangerous than direct current. Even a small amount of alternating current – which may be barely enough to be felt as a mild shock may cause a person’s grip to freeze. The person can not “let go” further prolonging the time of exposure and damage including burns and pain. Slightly more alternating current than a mild shock can cause the chest muscles to contract making breathing impossible. Still more current can cause deadly heart rhythms and even death.

First of all if you are working with any electrical devices turn off the power. This even includes simple tasks such as changing light bulbs. Turn off the power whether it is wall switch, a plug that can be pulled from the light socket or at the worst the circuit breaker or fuse.

You should spend a few minutes to read the manufacture’s instructions to ensure safe effective usage. Ensure that power strips and surge protectors can handle The loads being plugged into them. Avoid overlooking circuits – don’t plug too many items into the same outlet.

You should be aware that flickering or dimming lights can be a sign of electrical wiring problems. If your home is 40 years old or more, of if you have had renovations consult a qualified electrician.

Next if you need to use a standby generator, be sure to plug appliances directly into the generator or use a heavy, three- pronged extension cord. Never plug a generator directly into house wiring – a dangerous occurrence known as backfeeding may result. If using a generator, have a qualified electrician install a power transfer switch in accordance with your government electrical code.

Replace damaged electrical equipment or have it repaired by an authorized outlook. Cords that have frayed wires, loose connections or cracked sockets should be cut into pieces be thrown away into the garbage.

While it may take a bit of extra time on your part, good electrical habits will keep you and your family safe from potential injury. They may even save a life. So take the extra time and be sure that you and your loved ones are protected.

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