Electrical Fires: Outdoor Safety

8/27/2020 (Permalink)

Know when you can DIY and when you need to call a professional. Safety first!

Are you a homeowner taking advantage of the extra time at home making some needed repairs? Some of these projects might require the outdoor use of electrical equipment which need to be handled with care. 

The National Fire Protection Association (www.nfpa.org) reported that in 2014-2018, 10% of home fires were caused by electrical equipment, which included outdoor lighting, wiring and power cords. 

Electricity is used daily and it's important that we always keep safety in mind. Here are some safety tips from the NFPA when working with electricity outdoors:

• Cords and Lighting:
• check for damage before using and dispose and replaced damaged cords
• use cords that are marked for outdoor use for only short-term use & ensure that they are listed by a qualified test laboratory
• Electrical Tools
• make sure they are made for outdoor use and listed by a qualified test laboratory
• store electrical tools indoors and away from children
• Outside Electrical Work
• use a qualified electrician to do all electrical work
• ensure that all outside electrical receptacles are grounded (GFCI= ground-fault circuit interrupter).
• use a professional tree removal service to trim branches near power lines
• utilize a wooden or fiberglass ladder at least 10 feet away from power lines

Call 8-1-1 before digging on your property to locate and 

For more tips, statistics and research, go to: www.nfpa.org