May 2010
Respect the Power of Electricity
by Keven Groenewold
May marks National Electrical Safety Month, and the electricity your electric cooperative provides day-in and day-out is a phenomenal resource, powering our modern lifestyles in a safe, reliable and affordable way. But electricity must be respected: if safety isn’t made a priority, what changes our lives for the better could change them for the worse in an instant.
Safety has been a part of the fundamental culture at the New Mexico electric cooperatives since day one. Being an electric lineworker is ranked by the U.S. Department of Labor as one of the most dangerous jobs, on the same list as ship builders, loggers and high-rise iron workers. We demand that not only those out in the field, but employees at all levels make safety a top priority.
New Mexico’s electric cooperatives are committed to keeping our members and the general public safe from dangerous situations. Proper facility maintenance and warning signs are key elements in our tireless effort to keep everyone safe, and aware of energized electrical equipment in the surrounding area. But, electric shock is not the only item we should have on our electrical safety checklist.
Electrical problems in older homes account for nearly 55,000 fires every year. The risk of such fires is noteworthy since half of all homes in the United States were constructed and wired prior to 1973, according to the U.S. Census Bureau—before the advent of garage door openers or home computers. Even more telling, one-third of U.S. homes were built before hair dryers or electric can openers were even invented!
“As each year goes by Americans consume more energy in their homes,” remarks Brett Brenner, president of Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI). “Many homes and electrical systems are simply being overburdened, which leads to fires, injuries, and deaths.”
ESFI has created a checklist that lets consumers identify electrical dangers commonly found in each room of their home. Owners of older homes can upgrade their electric systems with newer fire prevention technology, such as arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs). These advanced electronic circuit breakers detect dangerous conditions in a home’s wiring and cut off power before a fire develops.
Additionally, those living in older homes with children can install tamper-resistant receptacles. These devices look like normal electrical outlets, although they have a built-in shutter system that prevents children from inserting foreign objects into the slots. Use of tamper-resistant receptacles would prevent most of the 2,400 burns suffered by children each year from outlets.
Eliminating electrical hazards begins with education and awareness. National Electrical Safety Month is a time for all of us to reexamine our surroundings and determine what steps we can take to prevent death or injury, and billions of dollars in economic losses that occur each year because of electrical hazards.
Please take time to learn how you can be safe around electricity at home. Spending just a few minutes with some helpful resources can make all the difference when you’re faced with a possible unsafe situation.
For more information on electrical safety, please visit your local electric cooperative website, as well as SafeElectricity.org and Electrical-Safety.org. Be safe this month and every month.