Electrical Safety Month: Knowing Electrical Safety

Knowing proper electrical safety is imperative for many reasons. One can become shocked, burned, or in the worst case scenario, a person can be electrocuted, which can lead to death by not becoming knowledgeable about electrical safety. One should be aware of basic safety guidelines when working with or around electricity.

Here are some tips from your Allentown electrician.

Faulty wiring is a common cause of many electrical-related accidents on a job site. For this reason, one should always use all of the power tool equipment properly. When they are misused, they can damage the wires of the equipment. Power tools should never be picked up by the cords; this can weaken the wires, which can eventually fray. Checking the power tools for cracks and damage to the cords can reduce the risk of shock.

When one has to use extension cords while working on a job site, the extension cords should be rated for the amount of power that is being used. If the voltage of the power tools that are plugged into the extension cord is too high, the cord can become hot and lead to an electrical fire. It is also important that one does not plug in too many power tools at once to the extension cord because the end result could also lead to an electrical fire.

Three-pronged plugs on any type of equipment are never to be altered to fit into a two-pronged outlet for any reason. When a worker does this, it results in the grounding wire becoming unusable and leaves the worker that is using the equipment unprotected from stray electricity. If a two-pronged outlet is the only available outlet to plug into, one should use a three-pronged adapter and make sure that the electrical wires are grounded before use.

Several tool companies know the importance of electrical safety. Many of the power tools that are commonly used on a job site are double-insulated. What this means is that the cord has extra protection that shields the electricity away from the worker using the power tool. Some of the most common power tools that offer double insulation are nail guns and drills.

One should never stand in water when working with power tools or around any other type of electricity. Water acts as a conductor of electricity, and the electrical current runs through the water. If a worker happens to be standing in the water, they can become electrocuted, which will result in death. One should always remember that water and electricity do not mix.