Year after year, fire-related incidents account for the majority of the total incidents investigated by the BC Safety Authority's (BCSA) electrical safety officers.
In an attempt to prevent fires from destroying family homes and businesses, the (BCSA) provides the following electrical safety tips:
• Keep electrical devices out of the reach of small children.
• Look for water leaks that might enter electrical equipment or pool on the ground where you might have to plug in or operate electrical equipment.
• Check for anything that is cracked, frayed or broken on extension cords, plugs, switches and light fixtures. In most cases, regulations require you to hire a licensed electrical contractor for repairs.
• Avoid overloading circuits and only use certified power bars with surge suppressors.
• Never run cords under or through rugs, carpets, doorways or windows where they can get damaged. Cords are made up of very thin wires which are bundled together. These wires are fragile and can break causing hot-spots inside the cord, which may cause a fire.