Safety Smarts
What's your IQ?
How safety-savvy are you? Take West Florida Electric Cooperative’s home electrical safety quiz to find out your IQ (your "I-won’t-get-electrocuted-or-burn-down-the-house" Quotient, that is). See the next page for the correct answers – Some of them might surprise you.
1.According to the National Fire Protection Association, an average of how many home fires are caused by faulty wiring, electrical appliances and equipment or heating and cooling systems annually?
A. 33,600
B.111,400
C.806,845
2.Which is the best conductor of electricity?
A. Water
B. Glass
C. Silver
3. When a bird is sitting on a power line, it doesn’t get electrocuted because:
A. The bird isn’t touching the ground.
B. The bird has no metallic substances in its body.
C. The bird’s feathers act as insulation.
4. If you see a downed power line nearby, you should:
A. Use a plastic, wood or rubber object to move it out of the way.
B. Pull any person or object touching the line away from contact with it as quickly as possible.
C. Move away from the line by shuffling with small steps, keeping your feet together and on the ground at all times.
5. Which of the following is correct when you’re working or playing outdoors?
A. Because overhead powerlines are well-insulated, you can accidentally touch them with a ladder, kite or other object without being harmed.
B. Electrical equipment that gets wet while unplugged poses no threat.
C. Trimming or climbing a tree near a power line is dangerous, even if they’re not touching.
6. Which of the following are not electrical safety devices designed to prevent fires or shocks?
A. Polarized plugs
B. GFCIs and AFCIs
C. Surge suppressors
7. The third prong on a three-prong plug:
A. Provides a path to ground to protect the equipment and user from electric shock.
B. Provides extra power for equipment requiring higher voltage.
C. Helps to hold the plug firmly in the outlet.
8. Which of the following is true?
A. For added warmth and energy savings, you should tuck in your electric blanket or cover it with another blanket.
B. It’s fine to use a 100-watt bulb in a fixture or lamp designed for 60 watts.
C. In a pinch, a penny is a good quick fix for a blown fuse.
9. With power cords or extension cords, it’s a good idea to:
A. Secure them to an object with a tack or nail or run them under a rug or carpet, instead of leaving them out in the open.
B.. Repair any frayed areas or splice them, if necessary, with black electrical tape, covering all exposed wire.
C. Limit the number of items plugged into any one extension cord and the number of extension cords plugged into any one outlet, and use extension cords only on a temporary basis.
ANSWERS
1. B. NFPA figures state an annual average of 111,400 electricity-originating home fires take an average of 860 lives, injure an average of 3,785 and cause nearly $1.3 billion in property damage.
2. C. Silver, along with other metals such as copper, is the best conductor. But water carries current well, too. That’s why you should keep electrical appliances and equipment away from moisture and make sure your hands and clothing are dry before operating them. On the other hand, glass is a very poor conductor of electricity. In fact, glass has been used as insulation where power lines are mounted on poles.
3. A. Electrocution occurs because electricity travels through a body to take the easiest path to the ground. However, the bird can sit on the line without touching the ground or anything else at the same time. Squirrels, on the other hand, often are electrocuted because they touch both the power line and a tree limb at the same time as they leap from one to the other. WFEC line workers are able to touch power lines because they’ve undergone extensive training, use specialized equipment and wear specific protective clothing and equipment.
4.C. Electricity from a downed power line spreads out through the ground in circles, with the voltage decreasing as you move away from the line. If one part of your body touches a higher voltage zone while another part is touching a lower-voltage area, you’ll become a conductor for electricity. Shuffling away with your feet close together helps prevent this from happening. Answers "A" and "B" are false because, if you touch an object -- no matter what the material -- or even a person, in contact with a power line, you’ll become a path for electricity. Call 911 if a person is in contact with a power line; notify WFEC of a downed line’s location and let them handle it.
5. C. Electricity has the ability to "jump" from the power line to an object in close proximity. Answer "A" is incorrect because not all overhead lines are insulated; all are dangerous to touch, whether insulated or not. "B" also is false because residual moisture can create a shock hazard.
6. C. Surge suppressors prevent damage to electrical equipment from electrical spikes and surges, rather than protect the user from a risk of shock or fire. However, polarized plugs, with a larger ground prong, connect the exposed part of an appliance to a ground wire to prevent electrical shock. GFCIs, or ground fault circuit interrupters, monitor the flow of current to and from appliances. If a GFCI detects even the smallest electric current leak, or ground fault, it immediately stops the flow of electricity to prevent shock. On the other hand, AFCIs, or arc fault circuit interrupters, are designed to address electrical fire, rather than shock hazards, by de-energizing the circuit when an arc fault is detected.
7. A. Never remove or bend a third prong, also called a ground pin, or even use a "cheater plug" to make the plug fit a two-prong outlet; the appliance will still work, but you’ll disable an important feature that protects you from electric shock.
8. Sorry, this is a trick question. All three are false, unless you’re actually trying to start a house fire.
9. C. Overloading outlets can create a fire hazard, and extension cords aren’t a suitable substitute for household wiring. If necessary, have a qualified electrician install additional outlets. "A" is incorrect making holes in a cord’s insulation creates an electrical shock risk and placing cords under floor coverings could ignite them. "B" also is wrong because black tape, which is usually vinyl, isn’t made to handle the heat generated by electricity running through wires and can melt and burn.
How'd you do?
0 – 3 Correct: You might be an accident waiting to happen. You probably play with matches and run with scissors, too. So don’t touch anything until you learn more about electrical safety. The National Electrical Safety Foundation’s Web site, www.nesf,org, is a good place to start.
4 – 6 Correct: The light’s are on and somebody’s home. You have a good idea what home electrical safety involves, so keep building on your knowledge. For instance, read future Safety Smarts features.
7 -- 9 Correct: You’re plugged into home electrical safety. But you can never be too aware of safety around electricity, so keep learning – and stay away from the people who gave three or fewer correct answers.
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