Accidents in the home account for a substantial number of injuries and deaths each year, and often those accidents have to do with electricity hazards. While it is a part of everyday life, many people simply do not take certain precautions, which can lead to accidents. You don’t want to be one of the thousands of people injured each year, and you don’t want any member of your family to get hurt because of some simple safety measures being ignored. Understanding the basics about how to be safe around electricity can be very helpful, and is something that everyone should learn.

Electrical outlets are the cause of thousands of injuries each year, and electrical failure is the cause of almost 90% of electrical fires. Once you start looking into all of the issues that can happen because of electricity, faulty wiring, and incorrect installation, you will see just why it is so important to minimize these hazards.

Be Safe

Electrocution and electrical fires are two of the most common home hazards when it comes to electricity. It’s a good idea to have some knowledge about your home electrical system so that you can maintain it properly. However, you should only do basic maintenance. Problems with your electrical system that require repair should be left to a licensed professional. Too many people believe that they can take care of something that they believe to be a small issue but this is how accidents and fires happen!

If you are going to work on any appliance, even if it is something as simple as gluing together broken portions of your favorite lamp, make sure that you unplug it. Just because you turn it off does not mean that the danger is gone. Unplugging is going to save you from possible injury and it could save your life.

Ongoing Maintenance

Home electrical fires have the potential to be deadly. It’s a good idea to have an electrician inspect your home every year or two, just to make sure that you don’t have issues with your wiring. Make sure that you have smoke detectors on every level of your home to provide you with ample warning in case there is an issue. Look for signs such as flickering lights that could indicate something’s wrong. You should also make sure that the cords on your appliances are always in good condition.

With a bit of precaution and maintenance, you should be able to avoid many of the common hazards that occur with electricity.

Source