How much do you know the safety of your plugs?
2008-08-04

                                                                                   How much do you know the safety of  your plugs?         This is a house which destroyed by a fire that only caught by a little plug. Similar incidents we almost heard every day. And people lost, and the property that people lost is countless         Did you know that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Council and the National Electrical Safety Foundation report that at least one U.S. citizen dies every day in an electrical accident? These startling statistics can be prevented if you know how to play it safe around electricity. An understanding of both the benefits and dangers of electricity can help citizens to be safer and more educated about electricity, thus preventing injuries and deaths in the future.         Mentioned electrical safety, it is easy for us thinking of the socket, plug we generally use. In this day and age, plugs are an essential part of our lives as we depend on electricity for almost everything we do. Therefore, it is important for people of all ages to know how to use plugs safely. The following tips are for you to use when buying and using plugs. 1. Look for the SABS sign and only use SABS approved plugs. 2. Do not overload plugs - rather use an adaptor. 3. Do not pull a plug by the cord. 4. Switch the switch off at the wall socket, before pulling the plug out. 5. Do not connect electrical appliances to light sockets. 6. Ensure that all wall sockets have their switches in the "off" mode, when not in use. 7. Never put bare wires into sockets. 8. Do not stick fingers into sockets. 9. If there are babies in the house, ensure that wall sockets are covered with a safety cap, keeping the area safe for babies to play in. Cords Cords, like plugs, are an essential part of our environment. Cords also represent a safety hazard and as such, the tips that follow should be used to minimize any potential dangers that cords can cause. 1. Do not use frayed cords - replace worn and frayed cords on appliances immediately. (See how easy it is to do this under the "Wire a Plug" section.) 2. Keep cords well away from hot stoves and other hot surfaces.

3. Do not run electric cords under carpets and rugs. 4. Do not join cords with tape. 5. Do not run cords through hinges. 6. Do not run cords where people can easily trip over them. 7. Use SABS approved electrical wires or cords. Water Since water is an excellent electricity conductor, it can cause electric shocks or short circuits very easily. The general rule is thus to keep water in and around the home, away from any electrical appliances and any wall sockets. 1. Do not use electrical appliances in the bathroom. 2. Never touch electrical appliances with wet hands. 3. Never fill a kettle when it is plugged in. 4. Never mow wet grass with an electric lawnmower. 5. Never hold an electric appliance in one hand while touching metal objects such as taps, fridges or stoves with the other. This is because our bodies are made up of 70% of water and they thus become very good electricity conductors. 6. Never use water to put out an electrical fire if the mains are not switched off. Use a dry chemical fire extinguisher instead Plugging in safely and correctly • Overloading a plug can cause a fire. A multi-plug adaptor will allow you to use as many appliances as needed without the risk of overheating. • Pulling a plug out by the cord can expose bare wires. Pull it out by gripping the plug itself and make sure the power is switched off. • Broken plugs or loose wires are dangerous. Always use SABS approved plugs and make sure there are no loose wires. • Putting electrical wires directly into a socket can cause accidents. • It is dangerous to plug electrical appliances into light sockets. They should only be plugged into wall sockets.

Clean plugs and safety  Electrical plugs also should keep clean, if not always be polished, electrical plug will be gradually accumulated in the dust, hair or have aerations, which increasing the electrical impedance and then possibly catch a fire.