Happy National Electrical Safety Month!
2016 Campaign – At Home and at Work: Make Electrical Safety Everyone’s Responsibility
May is Electrical Safety Foundation International’s (ESFI) Electrical Safety Month. ESFI is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting electrical safety at home and in the workplace through education, awareness, and advocacy. Every year they create a National Electrical Safety Month campaign to educate key audiences about the steps that can be taken in order to reduce the hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and billions of dollars in economic losses that occur each year because of electrically-related fires.
It is estimated that every year in the United States
- 140,000 Electrical Fires
- Over $1.1 Billion in Property Damage and Loss
- 310 Deaths
- 1,100 Injuries
Top Three reason for Electrical Fires
1. Degradation
- Natural consequence of long-time usage
- Old knob & tube equipment
- Lots of loose connections
- Vermin & water damage
- Frayed insulation
- Installed under outdated codes
- Still have fuses
- Aluminum wiring
2. Increased Power Load
- The load today is much heavier than many older electrical systems were designed to handle.
- There are more electronics available to us today, than ever before. All of which use more power!
3. Incomplete work
- Unskilled handyman complete work that is not up to code
Is My Home Safe?
Ask yourself these questions
- Is your electrical system over 15 yrs old?
- Do your light flicker frequently?
- Do you have aluminum wiring?
- Do you have fuses or breakers that trip?
- Do your outlets have loose fitting plugs?
- Are electrical outlets overloaded?
- Are electrical cords in good condition?
Have you installed?
- Smoke Detectors
- CO Detectors
- Safety Outlet Caps
- GFCIs
- AFCIs
- Fire Extinguishers
We want to encourage everyone to take time this month to re-evaluate your safety practices and help others raise their awareness.
Visit the ESFI’s website and to get access to their diverse selection of educational resources for you and your family, they even have a ESFI’s Kids’ Corner!
