Electrical Safety in Your Home
posted by TrueNorth Risk Management on Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Electrical appliances provide convenience and enjoyment for the entire family. However, items such as lamps, televisions and electrical outlets can also pose serious injury risks. To reduce the potential for danger, walk through your home and identify all the items that use electricity. After you've done that, use the following recommendations as precautions to reduce the risk of shock and burn injuries.
Your Electrical Safety Checklist
In All Rooms
| Lights | YES | NO | N/A |
| Each light in every room (including lamps and ceiling fixtures) has a bulb with appropriate wattage for the fixture | | | |
| Portable Electric Heating | YES | NO | N/A |
| Portable electric heater is placed at least 3 feet from combustibles, such as drapes and newspapers. | | | |
| Portable electric heater is stable and placed where it will not tip over. | | | |
| Portable electric heater is in good working order (no odd smells, sparks or smoke when operating). | | | |
| Three-prong Adaptors | YES | NO | N/A |
| Properly grounded three-prong adapters are used to attach power cords with three-pronged plugs to older two-prong outlets. | | | |
| Electrical Cords and Entertainment Equipment | YES | NO | N/A |
| Cords are free of frays, cracks or any other damage. | | | |
| Cords are placed where they will not be stepped on. | | | |
| Furniture or rugs are not resting on electrical cords. | | | |
| Cords are not tightly wrapped around any objects. | | | |
| Cords are not attached to anything (walls, baseboard) with nails or wire staples. | | | |
| All extension cords are equipped with safety covers on the unused outlets. | | | |
| None of the extension cords are carrying more than their proper loads according to the electrical rating on the appliances and extension cords. | | | |
| No extension cords are being used on a permanent basis. | | | |
| All of the entertainment equipment is placed so that the air can freely circulate around it. | | | |
| All the entertainment equipment is in a dry location, free of any source of water, including rain, leaks and spills. | | | |
TrueNorth Has You Covered
As always, TrueNorth is happy to assist you by providing comprehensive insurance and financial solutions for both home and business. Visit www.iTrueNorth.com or call (319) 739-1277 for an insurance quote to help safeguard the things that matter most to you.
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In addition to helpful weekly guidance on home and auto, TrueNorth provides a number of insurance options to protect your family from risk. For information on a home or auto quote, visit www.iTrueNorth.com or call us at (319) 739-1277. We'd like nothing more than to help safeguard the things that matter most to you.
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