May is National Electrical Safety Month

Awareness of electrical hazards is the key to reducing the number of electric-related fires, injuries and deaths that occur every year. Conduct a safety check using these common electrical hazard areas as a guide. If you notice any electrical problems in your home, contact a qualified electrician to correct the issue safely.

Look Up and Live

• Don’t take any chances when near power lines. Always maintain a safe distance of at least 20 feet. Contacting a power line with your body, ladder, pole, or scaffolding can result in serious injury or death.
• Keep kites, drones, helium-filled balloons, and remote control aircraft away from overhead electric lines to avoid the potential for power outages, fires, and serious injuries. If a balloon or toy is caught in a power line, do not attempt to retrieve it yourself. Contact UGI or the electric utility in the area immediately.

Call 811 Before You Dig

• Don’t forget about underground power lines! Before you dig in your yard, call 811 to have underground lines marked at least three business days prior to starting the project. It’s the law!

Home Safety

• Never overload your outlets. Too many cords plugged into one circuit creates an electrical hazard. Signs of an overloaded electrical outlet include flickering or dimming lights, warm or discolored wall plates, burning odor, frequently tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses, cracking or buzzing sounds, and mild shock or tingle from appliances, receptacles or switches.
• If you have children that live in or visit your home, install safety plugs and outlet covers.
• Prevent electrical overload by plugging major appliances directly into wall outlets. Never use extension cords or power strips for major appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, washers or dryers.
• Avoid overloading extension cords. Make sure you’re using cords that are properly rated for their intended use.
• Check your cords often for fraying or damage and replace them if necessary.
• If an appliance catches on fire, unplug it without touching the appliance or turn off the electrical supply. Use a Class C-rated fire extinguisher or baking soda to extinguish the fire. Never use water on an electrical fire.

Power Outages

• If you see a downed power line, always assume it is energized and dangerous. Stay far away and call UGI or local police to report the downed line.
• If you are without power, turn off all lights, turn off and unplug appliances and make sure water faucets are turned off.
• If you depend on medical equipment for life-support, it is recommended you purchase a back-up power supply in case of power outage.
• Trees are the leading cause of customer electrical outages. Trees must be kept a safe distance from all electrical wires. To ensure safe and reliable service, UGI maintains a coordinated vegetation management program that promotes proper tree selection and planting as well as tree trimming, in the vicinity of power lines. Review our guidelines and tips for planting trees near power lines.

For more safety tips, visit www.ugi.com/electric-safety/.