Electrical Safety Tips
Every year in India, thousands of people are killed or injured from contact with electricity. Some of these people are just young children. The more you know about how electricity works, the better you can keep yourself, your friends and your family safe. Let us know.

How Can Electricity Hurt You?

• Electricity Takes the Easiest Path to the Ground- Electricity is always trying to get to the ground. Like all good travelers, electricity takes shortcuts whenever it can. If something that conducts electricity gives electricity an easy path to the ground, electricity will take it!
• Electricity Can Travel Through You-Water and metal are some of the best conductors for electricity. Because your body is mostly water, you are a great conductor, too! So if you touch an electric circuit and the ground at the same time, you will become electricity’s easiest path. Electricity will flow through you, and you could be seriously hurt or killed. You don’t have to be touching the ground directly to conduct electricity. You could also be touching something that is in contact with the ground, like a tree or a ladder.
• Electricity, You and Water- Water is an excellent conductor. You can become electricity’s path to the ground if you are touching water that touches electricity. Electricity would travel through the water and through you to the ground. This is why it’s so important to keep all electrical appliances away from water, and to make sure your hands are dry and you are not standing in water when you touch anything electrical. It’s also the reason no one should ever use water on an electrical fire, but should use a multipurpose fire extinguisher instead.
• Electricity, You and Appliances- Appliances have protective insulated cords and coverings to keep you from contacting the electricity inside. It’s important to use appliances and cords the way they were designed to be used so you don’t damage the insulation or contact live electrical parts. If a live wire inside an appliance, toy, or power tool touches the inside of the device and you touch the device, it would be like touching a bare live wire. You cannot tell from the outside if there is a problem inside, so you should always act as if there were danger of shock.
• The Truth About Electric Shock- You can never tell when contact with electricity will be fatal, but you can be sure it will always hurt. Electric shock can cause muscle spasms, weakness, shallow breathing, rapid pulse, severe burns, unconsciousness, or death. In a shock incident, the path that electric current takes through the body gets very hot. Burns occur all along that path, including the places on the skin where the current enters and leaves the body. It’s not only giant power lines that can kill or injure you if you contact them. You can also be killed by a shock from an appliance or power cord in your home.
• Why Can Birds and Utility Workers Touch Power Lines But You Can't ? Have you ever wondered why the birds that sit on power lines don’t get electric shocks? It’s because the electricity is always looking for a way to get to the ground, but the birds are not touching the ground or anything in contact with the ground. If you touched a power line while you were in contact with the ground (or standing on a ladder or roof) electricity would travel through you. And if your kite or balloon got tangled in a power line and you touched the string, electricity could travel down the string and into you on its way to the ground. Both situations would mean a serious shock!
  
  Have you ever wondered why people who work up on power lines don’t get shocked? Utility workers are trained to work with electricity. They wear special insulated boots, hardhats, and gloves, and use special insulated tools that help prevent shock. It would be a bad idea to climb a power pole and imitate them — and possibly fatal!

How to ensure safety?

• Consumer should install safety equipments like Earth leakage / overload & short circuit protection (circuit breakers / switches) near point of supply.
• Healthy earthing should be installed at your premises.
• ISI marked  & BEE star labeled cables and equipments of proper capacity should be used for installation and wiring should be done through only licensed Electrical Contractors.
• Always use proper capacity fuse wire in main switches.
• For rectification of faults in your installations, call licensed electrical contractors only.
• Do not connect multiple equipments to a single point out lay to avoid excess loading. Avoid loose connections and joints.
• Do not use bare wires for extending supply from one point to other or from one premises to other premises. It is hazardous and causes accidents. Do not meddle with live wires / points. It may cost your life.

   
Outdoors

• Never touch a fallen power line or anything or anyone in contact with one. Always assume that the power line is energized and maintain safe distance. A low-hanging wire can suddenly move unexpectedly if there is a strong wind is blowing. ay calm and call for help.
• Watch for power lines when using a ladder, pruning trees, carrying long tools or pipes, working on the roof or installing an antenna.
• Play it safe when you're having fun. Keep kites or model airplanes away from power lines.
• Don't use electric tools near water or in the rain.
• Never enter a substation or fenced enclosure that surrounds electrical equipment.

Indoors

• Licensed Electrical Contractors should do installation of wiring and electrical fittings/equipment.
• Fans, Switchboards and other electrical equipment should be properly earthed. · Loose or unsupported wiring installation should be avoided. Wiring for electric motors should be done with all three-phase wire bunched in a metallic conduit, this helps in effective earthling.
• Metallic supports should not be used for wiring installations.
• When in doubt you should always have your installation checked by Licensed Electrical Contractor. Even otherwise, a complete check-up is recommended periodically.
• Fuses of proper rating should be installed. This is extremely important for safety of the installation and the user.
• A triple-pole-linked switch protected with no-volt release and triple pole fuses (for overload purpose) shall control the motor circuit.
• The connected load of your installation should be in conformity with the details furnished in the application form and B&L form.
• AC motor should not be connected unless the motor and the installation have suitable devices to limit the starting current.
• You should Install MCB's in your household circuits under the guidance of a Licensed Contractors to protect your appliances as well as your family members from electrical overloading or short-circuit.
• Don't overload electrical outlets. If you must use an extension cord temporarily, match the amperage and wattage limits of the cord and appliance, and do not use damaged cords. ·
• Stay dry. Keep electric appliances, such as hair dryers, away from water. Never operate an appliance when wet.
• Keep household appliances in good working order. If something seems wrong with an appliance or tool, or if it gives even the slightest shock, disconnect it. Have it repaired or discard it.
• Never carry appliances by the cords, and remove cords from outlets by pulling on the plug head. Don't run cords under rugs or furniture; they could become damaged or overheated.
• Any plug-in appliance should always be unplugged when it is not being used. Many people are injured and home fires started by leaving appliances plugged-in when not in use.
• Recognize workplace hazards. Keep your tools, work area and storage space clean and dry. Check cords for wear and keep tools switched "off" before plugging or unplugging.
• Be prepared for power outages during storms. Keep flashlights and batteries where they can be found easily. Unplug your appliances during storms to prevent lightning damage, and don't forget lightning can come into your home through cable television and telephone lines as well. When power resumes, turn on only necessary items and do so one appliance at a time to avoid overloading the electric system.

Precautions for Kids

• Keep electrical equipment out of reach of children
• Educate your children about electrical safety. Teach them never to put fingers or objects into outlets or appliances, and use outlet covers wherever necessary.
• Don't let your children climb trees near power lines. Let them play with kites and balloons only in open areas away from power lines. Even when your kids are flying kites far away from power lines, static electricity can build up enough on the kite and string to be dangerous. If kite string gets caught in power lines, ask them to leave it alone and not try to remove the string from the lines.
• Help them recognize "Danger-High Voltage" signs and identify electric utility equipment. Teach them to call for help in the event of an electrical emergency.

What to do in case of emergency?

• Electrical Fires- Electrical fires are different than other fires. Because water conducts electricity, throwing water on an electrical fire can cause the fire to get larger. Here is what to do:
• NEVER use water on an electrical fire.
• Tell an adult to turn off the main power to the house.
• If the fire can be put out safely, tell an adult to use a proper chemical fire extinguisher. If the fire cannot be put out safely, leave the house and take everyone with you.
• Call 101 or any emergency number and tell them it is an electrical fire.

• Electric Shock- If someone has been shocked, there’s a chance they may still be in contact with the source of the electricity. Do NOT touch the person or anything he or she is touching. You could become part of electricity’s path and be shocked or even killed! Take these three steps:
• Tell an adult to turn off the main power to the house.
• Call for help (usually 101). Tell them it is an electrical accident.
• When the victim is not in contact with the source of electricity and you’re sure there is no danger, tell an adult to give first aid for electrical injury.
• Don’t touch burns, break blisters, or remove burned clothing. Electrical shock may cause burns inside the body, so be sure the person is taken to a doctor.

• Downed Power Lines - Downed power lines can hurt or kill you, even if they do not spark or hum. If you see a downed power line, stay very far away. Do not even get close to anything that is touching the line, like a tree, fence, vehicle, etc. Tell an adult to call 101 and the nearest Sub Divisional Office to report the line.

• Tree and Power Line Dangers- Trees near power lines are dangerous! When a tree grows close to a power line, it can create shock hazards, power outages, and fires.If you climb a tree near a power line and touch the power line, electricity will go through you and you can be hurt or killed

If a tree branch falls on a power line, it can cause a power outage. Electricity will go off in any homes or businesses served by the power line until the electric utility can remove the branch and fix the line.

Circuits do not always turn off when a power line falls into a tree or onto the ground. Even if they are not sparking or humming, fallen lines can kill you if you touch them or the ground nearby. Stay away and tell an adult immediately.

If a tree branch touches a high-voltage power line, electricity from the line can make the branch so hot it catches fire. From there, the fire can spread to nearby trees, plants, or buildings.

• Stay Safe Around Trees and Power Lines- Do you like to climb and play in trees? Follow these tips to help keep yourself and your friends safe:
• Never climb in or play in trees that are growing next to power lines.
• Never touch a power line with your hand or with any other object, whether you are in a tree or on the ground.
• Tell an adult if you see trees growing close to high-voltage power lines or contacting these lines. (High-voltage lines are the ones at the very top of power poles.)
• If you see a power line that has fallen into a tree or onto the ground, stay away and tell an adult immediately. Even if they are not sparking or humming, fallen lines can kill you if you touch them or the ground nearby.
• Tell an adult if you see someone trimming a tree next to a high-voltage power line. Certified professional tree trimmers are the only ones allowed to do this.
• Plant only trees that will not grow tall or wide enough to contact nearby power lines.