Electrical extension cords are responsible for thousands of injuries each year, resulting hospital emergency room visits. Many of these injuries, fractures, lacerations, contusion, or sprains, involve people just tripping over an extension cord. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that about 3,300 residential fires originate in extension cords each year, killing and injuring hundreds of people. The most frequent causes of these fires are things like short circuits, overloading, and damage and/or misuse of extension cords.
REMEMBER use extension cords sparingly and only temporarily. A better choice would be to have wiring done to permanently resolve the need for any extension cord.
Construction and maintenance areas require extension cords that are specified by the National Electric Code for hard usage or extra hard usage. For those situations chose approved cords that are identified by the word ‘outdoor ’or the letters ‘WA’ on the jacket.
Safe Work Practices:
While using extension cords consider these safety tips:
- Use extension cords that are intended for temporary use with equipment not routinely used at a specific location, not for permanent wiring;
- Equipment being plugged into the extension cord should be grounded where applicable;
- Use products that have grounded three-pronged plugs or the new polarized plugs with one blade slightly wider than the other;
- Never bend prongs or force a three-pronged cord into a two-pronged outlet;
- Make sure that the plug has a good solid connection to the outlet;
- Choose heavy-duty extension cords for high-wattage machines and equipment;
- Use one long cord instead of several shorter cords. Never connect extension cords in a series; A longer cord should have a larger diameter (thicker = safer);
- Use cords appropriate to the task and rated high enough for the job;
- Use extension cords appropriate for the conditions. For example, indoor and outdoor cords are constructed differently. Various types of cords are specifically constructed to resist moisture, heat, or chemicals;
- If using a cord outdoors, plug it into ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI);
- Don’t overload cords. Multi-plug devices should contain an integral circuit breaker;
- Never splice or tap an extension cord;
- Keep cords untangled when in use and in storage;
- Keep stored cords loosely coiled in a dry place;
- Never disconnect a plug by pulling on the wire. Instead, grip the plug itself to pull it out of the socket;
- Inspect cords frequently to be sure that they are in good condition and are not frayed, cracked, punctured, or hot to the touch; and
- If a cord is defective, do not use it. Have it repaired by a qualified person or cut it up and throw it away.
Remember:
Choose the right cord, inspect it, run it carefully, and then put it away properly. You can avoid tripping, fire, shock, and electrocution hazards associated with extension cords by thinking carefully and then acting safely.
CARE FOR YOUR CORDS! IT’S A GOOD PRACTICE!
Download flyer: SMOTW_1144_Extension-Cord-Safety Download Spanish flyer: SMOTW_1144_Extension-Cord-Safety_esp
