Electrical > Indoor Electrical Safety Check - 04

Before You Plug Into Electricity,
Plug Into Electrical Safety - The Checklist


Light Bulbs

We’ve come to take the light bulb for grant­ed, but there is a wide variety of bulbs avail­able that provide different levels and quality of light, and that demand different levels of power. Make sure you are selecting the bulbs that are appropriate for your intended use and for the power rating of the intended lamp or fixture.

• Use a bulb of the correct type and watt­age. If you do not know the correct watt­age, contact the manufacturer of the lamp or fixture.
• Read and follow light bulb manufacturers’ safety instructions.
• Make sure bulbs are screwed in securely —loose bulbs may overheat.
• Place halogen floor lamps (torchieres) away from curtains, beds, rugs or other furnishings. These lamps can become very hot and can cause a fire hazard. Consider replacing halogen torchiere lamps with models that use cooler, more efficient flu­orescent bulbs.

Portable Space Heaters

Portable space heaters can be a blessing in a cold and drafty house in the deep of winter. But space heaters, and any electrical product with a heating element, can demand a lot of power. By their nature, they also produce a lot of heat, and, if not used carefully, can become a fire hazard. Make sure to follow these safety principles with portable space heaters:

• Plug portable space heaters directly into an outlet; do not use an extension cord.
• Make certain the circuit into which you plug a space heater can adequately and safely handle the added demand.
• Never remove the grounding feature on a plug by clipping or grinding off the third prong.
• Use an adapter to connect the heater’s 3-prong plug, if you do not have a 3-hole outlet. Make sure the adapter ground wire or tab is attached to the outlet ground.
• Relocate heaters away from passageways and keep all flammable materials such as curtains, rugs, furniture or newspaper at least three feet away.
• Unplug and safely store portable space heaters when not in use.

Small Appliances and Tools

Follow these simple safety precautions with all your small appliances and tools:

• Make certain all small appliances and tools are approved by an independent testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), ETL-SEMKO (ETL) or Canadian Standards Association (CSA). (See example on page 18.)
• Use small appliances and power tools according to the manufacturer’s instruc­tions.
• Unplug all small electrical appliances, such as hair dryers, shavers, curling irons, clothes irons, and toasters, when not in use.
• Be sure you have ground fault circuit inter­rupter (GFCI) protection anywhere elec­tricity and water are within six feet of each other, such as in your kitchen, bathroom and outdoors, to protect against electric shock. For more information, see the sec­tion on GFCIs, page 25.
• Take any damaged electrical appliance or tool to an authorized repair center, or cut the cord, safely dispose of the item, and purchase a new one.
• Never reach into water to get an appliance that has fallen in without being sure the appliance is unplugged or the circuit is shut off.
• Do not tuck in electric blankets.
• Don’t allow anything on top of the blan­ket while it is in use. This includes other blankets or comforters and even pets sleeping on top of the blanket.
• Do not use electric blankets on children.
• Never go to sleep with a heating pad that is turned on. It can burn you. Newer heating pads have an automatic cut off switch.
• Check to make sure power tools have a 3-prong plug or double-insulated cords, and consider replacing old tools that have neither.
• Use a properly grounded 3-prong adapter for connecting a 3-prong to a 2-hole re­ceptacle.
• Consider using a portable GFCI when us­ing power tools.
• Replace guards that have been removed from power tools.
• There have been many recalls of power tools due to problems with the safety guard sticking. Be sure your model has not been recalled, as this hazard poses a serious risk of injury. Check online at ....
• Check power tools before each use for frayed cords, broken plugs or cracked housing.

Test and Protect!—Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)

Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs)—which protect against accidental electric shock or electrocution by acting immediately to shut off the circuit if they sense a ground fault, or “leak” of current off the circuit—have been in homes since the early 70s on circuits that come within six feet of water. Homeowners, however, should consider having GFCI protec­tion on general purpose receptacles through­out the home.

• There are outlet GFCIs protecting every­thing in that outlet and downstream on the circuit, circuit breaker GFCIs protect­ing the entire circuit, or portable GFCIs that protect just at the point of use.

A GFCI-protected outlet can provide power without giving an indication that it is no lon­ger providing shock protection. Be sure your GFCI is providing protection from fatal elec­tric shock by testing it monthly and after every major electrical storm.

• You should test your GFCIs monthly and after every major electrical storm. Here’s how:
  
  
  * Push the “Reset” button of the GFCI receptacle to prepare the unit for testing.
  * Plug in a night light and turn it on. Light should be ON.
  * Push the “Test” button of the GFCI receptacle. Light should go OFF.
  * Push the “Reset” button again. Light should go ON.
  
  A light plugged into the GFCI receptacle should go out when the test button is pushed. If the light remains on when the button is pushed, either the GFCI is not working prop­erly or has not been correctly installed. If the “RESET” button pops out but the light does not go out, the GFCI has been damaged or was improperly wired and does not offer shock protection at that wall outlet. Contact a quali­fied electrician to correct any wiring errors or replace defective GFCIs.
• If you have a home without GFCIs, con­sult a qualified, licensed electrician about adding this important protection, or pur­chase plug-in units or a portable GFCI to provide individual receptacle or load pro­tection.