Electrical Safety—The Checklist : Small Appliances and Tools

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

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.
  
  Tips : Even an appliance that is not turned on, such as a hairdryer, can be potentially hazardous if it is left plugged in. If it falls into water in a sink or bathtub while plugged in, it can electrocute you. New hair dryers should always have a safety device called an appliance leakage circuit interrupter (ALCI) on their power cords to protect against electrocution.
  
  
• 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.
• 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.
  
  
  Tips : “Tucking in” an electric blanket or placing additional coverings on top of it can cause excessive heat buildup, which can start a fire.
  
  
• 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.
  
  Tips : Sleeping with a heating pad that is turned on can cause serious burns even at relatively low settings.
  
• 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 power tools before each use for frayed cords, broken plugs or cracked housing.