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In preventing
electrical accidents, a little care and vigilance goes a long
way to help you avoid a good deal of damage. Here are a few
reminders to keep in mind at home.
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General Safety
- When not in use, unplug all small appliances.
- Use the correct size of fuse. Over or under-sized fuses
could start a fire.
- Never replace a busted fuse with other materials. Wires
and other conductors used in place of the fuses may not
be able to isolate the electric circuit in case of a short
circuit.
- Avoid octopus connections. Overloading might occur if
multiple cords are connected to outlets designed only for
one or two plugs.
- Secure loose electrical cords. Family members might trip
over wires that are hanging loose along pathways.
- If light switches or outlets feel warm when turned on
or in use, turn them off. Call a qualified electrician to
immediately check the wiring.
- If plugs seem to fit loosely in a wall outlet, check
the plugs or the outlet. A loose or poor electrical connection
between plug and the outlet may cause overheating.
- Pull the plug, not the wire. Pulling the wire itself
might make the insulation and wires snap or twist.
- Use outlet covers and outlet plates to help prevent electrocution.
These can help prevent electric shock and possible electrocution.
- Never try to repair electrical products yourself unless
you are a qualified electrician.

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Living Room Safety
- Keep TV sets away from windows. Rain that enters the
TV housing may damage the set and cause electric shock.
Don't put vases or drinking glasses on top of TV sets as
water may spill into the TV set.
- Keep small metal objects away from TV sets. Paper clips,
nails and other small metal objects are conductors of electricity.
They will cause electric shock.
- If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse, trips a circuit
breaker or causes an electric shock, unplug it and have
it replaced immediately.
- Don't run electrical cords under rugs, carpets or furniture.
Walking on cords can break wiring and possibly cause a fire.
- Check all entertainment and computer equipment. Make
sure all equipment and electrical appliances are in good
condition and working properly. Look for cracks in or damage
to wiring, plugs and connectors.

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Bedroom Safety
- Use light bulbs of specified wattage for your lamp or
lighting fixture. A bulb of improper wattage or rating or
of the wrong type may lead to overloading and cause fire.
- Make sure light bulbs are screwed in securely. Loose bulbs
may overheat.
- Don't place any electrical appliances near water, like
in your sink or bathtub. Appliances that are used near water
should be unplugged when not in use.
- Keep combustible materials away from lamps and other sources
of heat. Clothing, curtains, newspapers, etc. can burn or
catch fire easily.
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Kitchen Safety
- Unplug the toaster or toaster oven before removing any
stuck food.
- Use the proper type of plug for the outlet. If your appliances
have three prong plugs and your kitchen has only two-conductor
outlets, do not cut off the ground prong (the third/bottom
prong) from the plugs; instead, convert your outlet into
a 3-wire outlet especially for appliances with motors like
refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and the
like. Consult a qualified electrician.
- Never force a plug into an outlet if it doesn't fit.
This could lead to fire or shock. Plugs should fit securely
in outlets.
- Circuit breakers and fuses should be of the correct size
for the circuits. If you do not know the correct size, have
an electrician identify and label the size to be used.

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Last updated: 11/25/2008  |
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