The importance of electricity to our daily choices cannot be exhaustively debated. Much of our daily plans and routines are predicated on electricity. Hence, it is not out of place to assume we live on and through electricity. However, this super-human-routine-enabler sometime brings out ugly sides. Minor and major electrocutions are tragic-tales caused by electricity. As much life and comfort electricity brings to the human existence, so too, could it cause an end to a human’s breath and joy.
Luckily, though, a lot of potential electrical hazards are avoidable with a little extra knowledge, insight and carefulness around and about electricity and electrical usage. Here are our top 10 electricity hazards.
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Wet Hands
Handling electricity appliances with wet hands is one of the basic hazards that could easily trigger electrocution. With wet hands, many people tend to handle bathroom and kitchen electrical appliances: the hair driers, changing bulbs or even opening refrigerators. some previously undetected depleting insulators, aided by wet hands, could cause an electric shock.
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Wet Conditions Around Electricity
With Electricity, water is a potent conductor. Wet conditions around electrical appliances are potential disasters. Electrical appliances should best be installed, a good distant away from water pipes to avoid hazard due to pipe burst, leakages etc.
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Overloading Power Outlets
Piling up plugs on same power outlets are usually handy and good for quick access. However, this poses a genuine electricity hazard. The overloading draws too much power and therefore, becomes a potential fire inducing risk
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Defective Insulation
Electrical wiring degrades over time. Unless, it is a new house, there is usually a tendency for you to, at some point, suffer defective insulation from old and wearing-out wires. This can easily trigger an electrical fire. Be on the lookout and if your circuit breaker needs to be set more than occasionally, call an expert to check your wiring.
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Inspecting Electric Equipment While Powered On
Sometimes, due to exigency, we forget or neglect the safety ethics of the need to put-off our appliances before checking them when they unexpectedly malfunction. To be on the safe side, it is best to first turn them off or totally even pull them out of plug before commencing any needed checks.
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Pouring Water on Electrical Fires
The temptation of pouring water on sudden fire is a grave electric hazard. Water on electric flames only fuel the fire and increases the risk of electrocution. Keeping a fire extinguisher close by is best practice.
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Plugging Electrical Appliances within the Reach of Toddlers
It is not uncommon for toddlers to find everything around then edible. Hence, whether naked wires or not, it is best to keep off electrical appliances in use from the reach of little babies.
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Pets
Lovers of pets are expected to be extra careful about electrical hazards. Usually, electrical cables are tempting targets for puppies and little cats. They can, therefore, cause damage to the insulation and consequently help to start an electrical fire.
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Wrong Wattage Light Bulbs
A higher wattage bulb to the lamp may overload the lamp’s wiring. The best thing to do is to study thoroughly the recommended wattage and fix only equal or less wattage bulb to lamps so as to avoid possible fire outbreak.
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Incorrect Grounding
Always try to engage only a certified electrician for all your electrical installations. This will, to a large extent, help forestall incidence of poor grounding. when the electricity that flows through a circuit lacks a path to the ground, the alternative it creates for itself might be really be disastrous