February, 2012
Electrical Fire Safety is a very important aspect of fire prevention in residential housing. Each year over 300 Americans are killed in fires caused by electrical system failures. Most of these fires are due to improper wiring and overloaded outlets. The use of any extension cord is a major fire hazard and is a common cause of fatal fires in residential properties. To minimize the likelihood of electrical fires occurring in your home, it is imperative that residents:
Inspect wiring regularly for warn or frayed cords.
Remove all extension cords and multi-plug adapters from the home.
Replace any electrical item that causes shocks, emits smoke, or sparks.
Only purchase electrical items evaluated and approved by internationally recognized laboratories, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
Do not use space heaters, especially in areas with combustible materials such as clothing, curtains, bedding, and garbage.
Install grounded (three prong) outlets and never use three-prong adapters.
Use only power strips with "over current protection" to prevent fires. A common misconception is that "surge protectors" prevent fires when actually they are designed to protect appliances like computers from electrical surges. Only over current protectors prevent wiring in a home from overheating due to overload. Proper over current protectors have three-prong, grounded plugs, resettable fuses or circuit breakers, and are UL listed.
Above all, be aware of fire safety issues. If you notice fire risks, bring them to the attention of coworkers, a supervisor and the Environmental Health and Safety Office at x3310.
If it is an emergency, dial 911 or 257-2222.
