Safety Around Electricity

Tips to Keep You Safe

Electricity is your best friend...only when you treat it with respect!

Learn how to use electricity safely and wisely. Especially since it's invisible, silent...and very powerful. Please take a minute to read and learn the following tips to help you stay safe around electricity.

Around your Home or Business:

• Have a licensed electrician inspect your home to be sure that it is properly grounded. Large appliances should have their own circuit and be grounded with a three-prong plug.
• Keep appliances in good condition. Always unplug them by pulling the plug, not the cord, when not in use. Have worn or frayed cords replaced immediately and always have a qualified technician make repairs.  
• Electricity and water don't mix! Keep appliances away from sinks, bathtubs, pools and wet hands.
• If power shuts off in your home, check your service panel. If everything appears to be in order and you are still without power, call (978) 531-5975. PMLP has 24-hour emergency service.
• When replacing a fuse be sure to use a new one of the same rating. Never substitute when replacing a fuse. Using a penny or aluminum foil could cause a fire. If breakers/fuses trip or blow out often, call an electrician.

Child Safety:

• Children's curiosity can lead to danger. Cover outlets with plastic safety plugs.
• Explain the dangers of electricity beginning at an early age.
• Teach children to recognize *Danger High Voltage Signs*.
• Have children fly kites in open areas away from overhead lines. Electricity can travel through the strings of kites and balloons that have come in contact with power lines.
• Teach children to call an adult if a toy gets into power lines or a fenced in sub station. The adult will call PMLP for help. Never attempt to retrieve it yourself.
• Never allow children to climb a tree with power lines near or running through it.

Flood Safety: Electricity and Water DON'T Mix!

• Do not use electrical appliances that have been wet. Water can damage motors in furnaces, freezers, washing machines, dryers and other appliances.
• If an electric appliance has been under water have it dried out and evaluated and/or reconditioned by a qualified service technician.
• Have a licensed electrician check the wiring in your home to be sure the outlets are safe to use.
• When using a wet vacuum cleaner, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid electric shock.
• Do not allow power cord connections to become wet.
• Do not remove or bypass the group pin on a three-prong plug.
• Use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) to prevent electrocution.
• Submerged circuit breakers and fuses pose a fire hazard. Replace all circuit breakers and fuses that have been under water and discard all circuit breakers and fuses that have been submerged.

For more disaster related information or help with emergency preparedness, visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by clicking here or the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) here.