The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), a nonprofit organization that promotes electrical safety, is responsible for organizing National Electrical Safety Month each year in an effort to reduce the number of deaths, injuries caused by electricity.
SHOCKING FACTS
Every year, approximately 1,000 people in this country die as a result of electrical injuries. That statistic in and of itself is enough to indicate the importance of electrical safety.
According to medical experts, electricity is responsible for a variety of injuries at home and on the job, including:
- 30,000-plus people receive electrical shocks that are strong enough to cause injury but aren’t fatal.
- Children – especially toddlers and adolescents – are highly susceptible to electrical injuries, accounting for about 20 percent of all electrical injuries in a given year.
- While adults are most likely to be injured by electricity in the workplace, children are most likely to be injured at home.
- 40 percent of deaths caused by electricity are a result of high-voltage injuries.
- Lightning typically causes anywhere from 50 to 300 deaths per year.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS
In honor of National Electrical Safety Month, the Edison Electric Institute offers these safety tips:
- Make sure all the electric cords in your home or workplace aren’t frayed or cracked.
- Don’t overload electric outlets or extension cords.
- Did you know that extension cords are only supposed to provide a temporary solution? They should not be used on a permanent basis.
- If you have small children, it may be a good idea to use outlet covers.
- Tropical storms and hurricanes in South Florida often bring down power lines. Never touch them! And avoid walking into standing water, which could be hiding downed lines.
- Don’t plant trees underneath power lines. They may be small now, but you’re in for problems down the road.
- And, as the experts at the Edison Electric Institute say, “Keep your home’s electrical system in good repair. Contact a licensed electrical contractor if you have flickering lights, sparks, non-functioning outlets, or need wiring repairs or upgrades.”
Electricity is nothing to mess around with. If you have concerns about the safety of the wiring in your home or if you aren’t sure if you need electrical panel change, please call our licensed South Florida electricians at (561) 303-5475 or contact a licensed electrician near you.
