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Preventing Electric Shock — the Ultimate Safety Guide for Home Improvement Projects
1. Turn off the power: Before starting any electrical work, always turn off the power at the main circuit breaker to prevent electric shock.
2. Use proper tools and equipment: Make sure to use insulated tools and wear rubber gloves when working with electricity.
3. Inspect for damaged cords: Check all cords for any signs of damage, such as frayed wires or exposed conductors, and replace them if necessary.
4. Avoid wet conditions: Never work on electrical projects in wet or damp areas to reduce the risk of electric shock.
5. Use GFCI outlets: Install ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets in areas where water is present, such as kitchens and bathrooms, to provide extra protection against electric shock.
6. Hire a professional if unsure: If you’re not confident in your electrical skills, it’s always best to hire a licensed electrician to ensure the safety of your home improvement project.
Remember, electrical safety should always be a top priority when working on home improvement projects.
When working on your residential electrical system, it’s important to understand the dangers of electric shock. Even a small electrical current of 5 milliamperes (mA) can be disturbing, while 6 to 30 mA is painful, and 50 to 150 mA can lead to cardiac arrest. The current in a residential circuit ranges from 10 to 20 amps (10,000 to 20,000 mA), which can cause severe burns and even death by electrocution. The current in 240-volt electrical circuits, such as those powering your stove and water heater, is even higher.
Whether or not you experience electrocution depends on various factors, including the current’s amperage, the duration of exposure, and the pathway the current takes through your body. Additionally, the conductivity of your hands and feet, whether wet or dry, plays a role. Ideally, the best way to avoid electric shock is to prevent it entirely. When performing your own electrical work, it’s crucial to follow these eight safety protocols to prevent electric shock and electrical fires.
1. Proper Attire
Although you don’t need to dress like an electrician for small fix-it jobs around your home, certain clothing items can significantly reduce the risk of electric shock. One essential item is rubber-soled shoes, which prevent electricity from flowing through your body and into the ground if you accidentally touch a live wire. Additionally, wearing goggles can protect your eyes from sparks. To avoid accidental contact with wiring or electrical devices, remove bracelets, watches, long necklaces, and other metal accessories.
2. Insulated Tools
Always use tools with electrically insulated handles. Rubber, plastic, and wood are all electrical insulators, and these are the materials you should touch (not the metal) while the tool is in contact with an electrical wire or terminal. However, it is crucial to ensure that the tool is specifically designed for electrical safety. Do not assume a screwdriver is insulated just because it has a plastic or rubber handle. Insulated tools are typically of high quality and may not be significantly more expensive than non-insulated tools. Check the manufacturer’s insulation rating to confirm that the tool is designed for electrical safety.
3. Power Off
The first step in any electrical procedure is to turn off the power. However, simply turning off a light switch is not sufficient, as someone could accidentally turn it back on while you are working, or it may not even be the correct switch. Instead, always turn off the circuit breaker in the main service panel that controls the circuit you will be working on. It is also important to turn off the breaker before servicing a device, such as an electrical outlet, that does not have its own switch.
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4. Make Sure to Test Before Touching
Before you start working on any electrical device, it is important to test whether it is de-energized or not. Sometimes, turning off the breaker may not guarantee that the device is completely safe to touch. The breaker could be mislabeled or the electrical circuits in the house may be miswired. There is also a possibility that there are wires from multiple circuits running through a single electrical box. To ensure safety, always use a voltage tester to check if the device is dead before touching any wires or wire terminals. If you are working on a receptacle, you can use a receptacle tester to check if there is power or not. Although GFCI outlets have their own test buttons, you can also use the receptacle tester to verify if they are properly wired.
If you are using a two-wire voltage tester or a multimeter, touch one lead to the hot wire or the terminal it is connected to, and touch the other lead to a ground wire or terminal. Make sure that the light stays off or the meter reads zero volts. If you are using a noncontact voltage tester, simply hold the tip of the tester near a hot wire or terminal, or touch it with the tip. If there is no power, it will flash a green light or do nothing. If there is power, it will flash a red light, beep, or both.
5. Safety Precautions for Extension Cords
According to the National Electrical Code, extension cords should only be used temporarily and should never be used to permanently power indoor or outdoor appliances. Always inspect the cord before using it, as damaged cords can cause electric shock, especially in areas with standing water.
When using extension cords for power tools outdoors, use cords with built-in ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection or plug them into a GFCI outlet. It is also important to choose cords that are capable of handling the current draw of the electrical equipment being used. Generally, a 14-gauge cord should be used for a maximum current draw of 10 to 15 amps to prevent overheating and insulation melting. For heavier-duty work, a 12-gauge cord should be used.
6. Grounding Three-Prong Adapters
If you have a tool with a three-prong plug but only have a receptacle with two slots available, you can use a three-prong to two-prong adapter. However, it is crucial to ground the adapter in order to ensure safety. The adapter has a small metal grounding tab with a hole that is large enough for the screw that holds the cover plate.
To ground the adapter, remove the screw, plug in the adapter, insert the screw through the hole, and screw it back into the outlet. If the outlet box is grounded, the adapter will also be grounded. To check if the outlet is grounded in an older home with outdated wiring, insert one lead from a voltage tester into the hot side of the outlet and touch the other lead to the cover plate screw. If the tester lights up, it means the outlet is grounded. If it does not light up and the slots are the same size, try the other slot. If you cannot confirm that the box is grounded, do not use the outlet. Instead, use a grounded (three-prong) extension cord and plug it into a grounded outlet or a GFCI outlet.
7. Prevent Moisture and Water Exposure
To avoid the risk of electric shock, it is important to work in dry conditions. This goes beyond avoiding working near water or during rainy weather. Even humid air can increase the conductivity of electricity between exposed wires or terminals and your skin, especially if you are sweating. If you are working outdoors in humid weather, take extra precautions to stay away from power lines, even if you are not doing electrical work. Additionally, ensure that the area where you are working on electrical appliances is dry, including the floor and walls.
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8. Ensure Secure Wiring Connections
When connecting wires for switches, outlets, or light fixtures, it is important to twist them together properly. Even if you believe your fingers are strong enough, always use pliers for this task. Using pliers will result in a tighter and more secure twist, reducing the chances of separation. Additionally, when twisting the wires clockwise, the connection will be even stronger when a wire connector (wire nut) is screwed on. On the contrary, twisting counterclockwise will cause the connection to loosen when the cap is screwed on, potentially leading to shocks and fires.
Alternatively, if you are using push-in wire connectors, twisting the wires is not necessary. To ensure safety with these connectors, strip the wires to the correct length, push the wire all the way into the connector, and ensure there is no exposed wire extending from the connector.
When installing a light fixture, always remove the light bulb first to prevent it from breaking if you lose your grip on the fixture. Additionally, make your future work easier by labeling new wires that you run through walls. This will save you the trouble of testing for live circuit wires in the future and help prevent incorrect wiring.
