Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

Follow the guidelines below to keep your home, family and guests safe this holiday season.

• Select decorations made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials.
• Inspect electrical decorations before using them and replace any that are damaged.
• Keep trees (both live and synthetic) at least 3 feet from heating sources – especially fireplaces.
• Never leave lit candles unattended.
• Never use more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
• Consider using LED lights, which use less energy than incandescent bulbs and emit less heat, making them safer to touch and to use on trees.
• Keep all extension cords and light strings clear of snow and standing water.
• If using a ladder to decorate, carry it parallel to the ground to prevent it coming into contact with power lines, and keep yourself and your equipment at least 10 feet from lines.
• Turn off all decorations before going to bed or leaving your home.

Spring into Outdoor Chores Safely

Warm weather is here and so are outdoor chores such as gutter cleaning and landscaping. In celebration of National Electrical Safety Month, here are a few safety tips before you get started:

• Use a fiber glass or wooden ladder and maintain at least a 10-foot clearance when working near power lines
• Carry long or tall items such as ladders, scaffolding or tree sawsparallel to the ground to avoid contact with overhead wires
• Never touch a power line with any part of your body
• Wear goggles, gloves and enclosed footwear when handling electric or battery-operated tools

Visit our Safety Center page for more tips.

10 Electrical Safety Tips for Children

May is National Electrical Safety Month, so we would like to remind you how important it is to follow safety precautions and educate children about the dangers of misusing electricity and electrical devices. Here are a few safety tips for you and your children to always keep in mind:

1. Place safety covers over unused electric outlets to make sure your child does not stick their finger (or any other object) into the outlet

2. Do not let your child touch wires lying on the ground, or inside the house.

3. Keep balloons, kites and other toys away from overhead lines

4. Make sure your kite is made of wood, plastic or paper – never metal, foil or wire

5. Keep electric appliances at least 10 feet away from swimming pools

6. Never touch anything electrical with wet hands

7. Never unplug an appliance by pulling the cord

8. Never play around substations, utility towers or pad-mounted transformers (green metal boxes) or where “Danger: High Voltage” signs are posted

9. Never use electric appliances during a bath or shower, when standing near a sink or when standing in water

10. Never pour water on an electrical fire. If the home does not have an appropriate extinguisher (class A,B,C), use flour or baking soda

Visit our Safety Center page for more safety tips.