Although electricity is quite a handy invention that many of us will not be able to live without, it could also be very dangerous if not used correctly.
The electricity entity of the City of Johannesburg, City Power gives the following safety tips to ensure residents stay safe while using electricity:
• The first and most important thing to remember is, your electricity installation in your home should meet the required safety standards. If you do not have a compliance certificate, get a qualified electrical contractor to inspect and test your installation in order to issue you with a certificate.
• Where multiple extension cords are used, be sure not to overload plug points. The total load on any socket should not exceed 16 amps or three kilowatts.
• Before working on an electrical appliance, ensure it is disconnected from the plug point.
• Use electrical appliances only for the purpose they are intended for.
• Do not touch any electrical appliances while in the bath.
• Do not stick bare wires into a socket. Ensure all appliances do have cords.
• Do not interfere with the electrical installation wiring.
• Protect your installation with an earth leakage unit.
• Do not bypass an earth leakage or any circuit-breaker trip – it has tripped because an unsafe or dangerous condition was detected and should be rectified. If you cannot reset the earth leakage after it has tripped, make sure you unplug all the appliances, double adapters and extension cords (don’t just switch them off). Reset the earth leakage and switch on the circuit breakers one by one until the faulty one is identified. Call an electrical contractor to rectify the fault.
• Ensure all plugs are wired correctly. When looking at the top of the opened plug, the green and yellow (earth) wire should go into the top pin, the brown (live) wire into the right pin and the blue (neutral) wire into the left pin.
Electricity outside the home is just as dangerous and the following safety precautions should be taken:
• Do not walk near or touch any wires lying on the ground or hanging from a pole or a tree. Report them to City Power by phoning 086 056 2874.
• Do not interfere with any pillar boxes, poles, miniature substations or any other electrical equipment on or off the sidewalk.
• Do not enter any fenced-off area housing electrical equipment.
• Report any unsafe situations to City Power on 086 056 2874.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
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