Electrical Safety

Electrical Safety at Home

Electricity is all around us - overhead, underground and in our homes and work places.

Electricity is a necessity for modern-day living, but it can also be very dangerous if it is not dealt with properly.

To avoid electrical injury, treat electricity with respect and follow these safety tips.

	Always contact a qualified professional to do any electrical servicing
	Equip all outdoor and bathroom outlets with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI)
	Do not overload electrical circuits
	Never stick toys, keys, fingers or anything else into an electrical outlet
	Do not plug or unplug electrical appliances or tools with wet hands or in wet conditions
	Replace damaged or frayed cords
	Do not insert any metal device into an electrical appliance while it is plugged in
	Never attempt to disconnect your power meter, it could explode
	Use cords with a third grounding prong, never try to remove the third prong

Children and Electricity

As parents it is our responsibility to teach our children to respect electricity, use the guidelines below when discussing this with your children:

	Never play around power substations, poles, towers, fences or trees that are near power lines or electrical equipment
	Never fly kites near overhead power lines
	Never spray water guns or hoses at power lines
	Never try to open or poke sticks or other objects into underground transformer boxes
	Obey "keep out" and "danger" or "high voltage" warning signs
	Avoid going outside during a lightening storm

Information taken from "Electrical Safety" public document supplied courtesy of Alberta Municipal Affairs.