Electricity: injuries
Electric shock can cause serious injury or death. Some simple precautions can prevent electric shock hazards around the home.
Be sure to do the following:
- Inspect electric cords for fraying. If you see a crack in the insulation, repair or replace it. Cords exposed to frequent motion, sun, or aging are most likely to be frayed. Another common cause of fraying is chewing by a dog or gnawing by a rodent.
- Do not overload electrical circuits. This may happen when you plug too many appliances into the same outlet using adapters.
- Replace all the older two-pronged outlets. All outlets in the home should be of the 3-pronged type. It is not safe to use adapters that allow you to plug a 3-pronged appliance into a 2-pronged outlet.
- Keep all electric appliances away from water, such as a sink or a bathtub. Do not handle extension cords or electric appliances, or plug anything into an electrical outlet, while you are wet.
- Inspect electrical outlets used near sources of water, such as the bathroom sink or near a hot tub, spa, or swimming pool. All such outlets should be a special type known as ground fault interrupter (GFI) outlets.
- Keep electric appliances, outlets, and light bulbs away from flammable liquids or products that produce vapors.
- Make sure that children do not play near or climb on electric lines on a power pole or where these lines enter a house.
- Insert plastic safety caps in all unused electrical outlets if small children are present in a home.
- Do not use the telephone, use any hand-held electrical appliance, or take a bath or shower during a lightning storm. Do not walk out in the open, or take cover under a tree, during a lightning storm.
Many local power companies have literature available that helps identify potential electrical home hazards. Call your local power company for more information.
Last Reviewed 2006
Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.
HIL File PERS4862.rf2 VRS# 4862 Data Version 7.0 Copyright 1999, 2003 McKesson Health Solutions LLC. All rights reserved.
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