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Electrical safety educator offers words to live by

For most of us, fallen power lines or bare wires are obvious danger signals. But there are plenty of more subtle electrical threats you need to avoid.

Mylar Mishaps. Would you let your child walk beneath a power line while he or she was holding a metal pole in the air? Of course not. Yet the shiny silver coating on a mylar balloon is an excellent conductor of electricity. “The electricity can come down through the ribbon into your child’s hands and out of his feet at the speed of light,” warns Finley. Even free-floating mylar balloons pose a threat – they can become entangled in and destroy expensive electrical equipment. That’s equipment that others are depending on for day-to-day electrical service. Finley cautions consumers to deflate and dispose of balloons when children are finished with them.

At the Pool. Overhead power lines and swimming pools can be a deadly combination. The long metal rods of swimming pool skimmers can graze power lines. Finley says you shouldn’t bet your life on the protective value of insulation on wires – trees can wear away the coating and squirrels can nick or chew through rubber. “Have overhead power lines near a pool buried,” says Finley, “before they bury someone else.”
           
Branch Out. “It’s kind of tough to teach a five-year-old the difference between a phone wire and a power line,” Finley says. “So the rule is – if any wire is near a tree – don’t climb it. Find another tree.” Finley pointed out that branches may sag into power lines as children climb. Another note of caution – the power lines you see running down your streets and country roads are not insulated.

Heads Up. One of Finley’s top rules for safety – always look up. Be aware of what’s above you when moving or elevating farm equipment.
           
Things That Go Bump in the Night. You’re driving at night when your car slides off the road and strikes a utility pole. Your first instinct may be to get out and inspect the damage. Don’t do it. The collision may have jarred a power line from the utility pole. It may be hanging on or near your car, or charging the ground just outside your door. Stay in your vehicle. Use a cellular phone to call for help or wait for morning when you can verify that power lines are still safely in place. If it’s a severe accident and fire forces you out of your vehicle, Finley recommends jumping clear of the vehicle, then bunny hopping (feet together) away from the car. If the ground is charged, the difference in voltage between your two feet will encourage power to move through your body. By keeping your feet together and hopping to safety, you’re keeping the voltage more even and discouraging the flow of energy.
           
Pole Cat. If the family pet or a wild animal is stuck near power lines, on a utility pole, or near a transformer, leave it. Never attempt to poke or prod an animal away from anything that conducts electricity. Call your utility company. They have the equipment and expertise to deal with the situation safety.
           
Improper Conduct. Countless non-metal materials conduct electricity. Kite string, clothing, fishing rods, soil and water are a few examples of household items that can become deadly under the right circumstances. Never touch a power line with anything.
           
The Need to Know. You may think that the power is off, that the wire on the ground isn’t energized, or that the cord is unplugged. Those may be the last thoughts you ever have, says Finley. “We don’t play by that rule as a lineman, or we don’t last too long.  Always shut your power off before doing electrical work at home – and check to make sure that it is off.”
           
No-Fault Assurance. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) can be lifesavers when used with power tools and around wet locations. “The worst place to have 120-volt contact is on the inside of the hand,” says Finley, “because instantly that hand’s going to slam shut.” He recommends plugging extension cords into GFCI-equipped cords that plug into standard outlets. If your extension cord is accidentally severed by your power tool or comes into contact with water, the GFCI will break the circuit. Outlets equipped with GFCIs should be installed in bathrooms, kitchens, outdoors, and any place where water is present. “I wish we could get a lot more of these in our homes and businesses,” says Finley. “It’s an easy way to cut down fatalities.”

Electrical safety educator alerts firemen to dangers of generators
 
            “The generator is one deadly piece of equipment,” says Kyle Finley, electrical safety educator. Finley discussed some of the hazards posed by generators during an electrical safety program. More and more people are installing a home generator.  Do you think they put in a transfer switch to isolate that generator,” asked Finley. “No. They did it what we call the dead man way.”  The “dead man way” is by not installing a UL listed and approved transfer switch for your generator.  Any other way is just not accepted!  “You know what happens if you screw up? You kill somebody.”  Finley warned firemen that power lines that appear to be dead can kill them. “When you’re working in weather like what we’ve had recently, you really have to be careful, because there are going to be generators running and people have no clue what can happen,” he said, explaining that a small generator can feed power back through the electric meter, down the line, and into a transformer. The transformer steps up the voltage to 7,200 volts and sends power further down the power line. “Consider that a household outlet of 120 volts is more than enough to kill, and you get an idea of how deadly 7,200 volts can be (it’s really the amperage),” said Finley. “If you’ve got a generator or one of your family members or friends is putting in a generator, make sure they install a UL listed and approved generator transfer switch.”

Other generator safety tips include:
  • Never operate a generator in your home or garage; just like car exhaust, the carbon monoxide produced by a generator can kill you.
  • Never store gas or other flammable liquids near a running generator.
  • Never fill the generator while it’s running.
  • Make sure your generator transfer switch is installed in accordance with the National Electrical Code.

 
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