Did you know that Lightning Safety Awareness Week is June 21st-27th, 2020?
Lightning is a naturally occurring weather event that is caused by electrical discharge and high voltage between a cloud and the ground or within a cloud. Lightning according to National Geographic, kills up to 2,000 people each year, and those that survive a strike are left with life-long debilitations. In North America lightning is most prevalent in the months of June, July, and August.
With the summer months approaching it is important to be mindful of the risks that lightning can pose to our lives, and what we can do to keep ourselves safe.
Here are some helpful tips:
1. Stay Aware – if you notice the weather getting severe look for a place indoors to shelter. Plan ahead when going on an outdoor adventure by checking the weather forecast for the day, and reschedule if stormy weather is expected.
2. Avoid being out in the open or congregating in crowds. When in an open space lightning will strike the tallest object in the area (which could be you), and if in a crowd try to disperse as this this will reduce the number of injuries in the event of a strike
3. Avoid touching concrete walls or floors. Lightning can travel through metal bars and wires in walls and flooring.
4. Stay away from water both indoors and outdoors. Lightning regularly strikes water outdoors; it is a conductor of electricity and lightning strikes spread along the surface of bodies of water. Indoors, plumbing can be a conductor of electricity and could travel into the water.
5. Using electronics that are plugged into the walls can be dangerous. Be sure to unplug all electronics when severe storms are occurring. Having electronics plugged in during a storm can cause severe damage to your devices, and if you decide to use your device during a storm, you’re putting yourself at risk for electric shock.
Curtis E. Falany, P.E., President J. B. Shepherd & Company, Inc. Forensic Electrical Engineers
According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the peak day of the year for home cooking fires, as safety precautions can be easily overlooked while preparing a Thanksgiving feast. Below are some helpful tips to keep you, and your family safe this Thanksgiving:
Insure that all smoke detectors are operational and can be heard in all areas of your home. Be sure to test each alarm on a monthly basis, this determines the status of their battery life, and remember to replace batteries once a year.
Confirm that GFCIs (Ground fault circuit interrupters) are functional in areas that will receive heavy usage on Thanksgiving, or in areas that are at risk of water contact. GFCIs can help prevent electrocution, these devices cut off the power when a ground fault, or leakage current is detected before someone receives a shock.
Never leave appliances unattended while in use, all cooking should be closely supervised. Timers can be used to avoid forgetting about a dish, and ultimately aid in preventing cooking from becoming a fire hazard.
Keep potential hazards out of reach from guests, children, and pets. Secure electrical wires and appliances away from visitors as you may experience higher than usual traffic in your home on Thanksgiving.
A public service announcement by: Curtis E. Falany, P.E., President J. B. Shepherd & Company, Inc. Forensic Electrical Engineers
October is a month full of festive pumpkins, spooky skeletons, and sugary candy. Where families across the country decorate their homes in anticipation of trick-or-treaters on Halloween night. Often these decorations require electricity to operate as intended, which adds potential hazards that can be easily overlooked. Below are some tips to consider when decorating your home for Halloween:
Inspect your lights and electronics thoroughly to ensure that they are in good condition (no broken lights or frayed cords). Check the electrical outlets you plan to use outside to make certain a Ground Fault Interrupter, also called a GFI or GFCI, is present and operational. Store all decorations appropriately according to their individual instructions.
Do not overload electrical outlets with numerous plugs. The wattage of decorations should be checked to confirm that they can handle the load. Otherwise, circuits can be overloaded, shutting off power to the area. You are also reducing your risk of a residential fire by avoiding overloading.
Never use indoor lights or electronics outdoors as indoor lights are often not weather resistant. You can check if your particular lights are indoor or outdoor rated by checking the manufacturer labels.
Turn of lights and electronics when not in use. For example, during the daytime for outdoor seasonal lighting, and consider using a timer to plan ahead.
Secure extension cords away from areas with high foot traffic in order to reduce tripping hazards.
Avoid installing or working near power lines. When using a ladder check for power lines prior to climbing up. Check trees and shrubs before installing any decorations as they could be in contact with a power line
Curtis E. Falany, P.E., President J. B. Shepherd & Company, Inc. Forensic Electrical Engineers
Connecting a portable generator to your home wiring system, often called back-feeding, is a horrible, and dangerous idea. Often, you will find information on the Internet instructing that back-feeding can be done safely, but for most people it’s never safe.
Now that hurricane season is approaching many Floridians are asking, how do I safely use my portable generator?
Here are my suggestions:
Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
1.DO NOT operate your generator where deadly carbon monoxide exhaust gas can enter your home or anyone else’s.
3. Safely store extra fuel. Use approved gasoline containers in good condition and follow any written instructions.
4. Use electrical cords in good condition. Check that the original cord ends are in place, that no ground pins cut off or missing, and that no insulation is damaged.
5. Use appropriately sized electrical cords. For outlets protected by 15 amp circuit wire use a #14 AWG copper wire. For outlets protected by 20 amp circuit breakers use a #12 copper wire. Connect your critical loads to the generator using these extension cords.
6.DO NOT energize your house using a ‘back-feed’ cord. Even for experienced electricians, back-feeding can become dangerous very quickly.
As a forensic engineer, I have had cases where persons were injured or killed by back-feeding. Your back-fed generator can put thousands of volts on electric utility circuits, which endangers utility workers. Your back-fed generator may also energize the wiring in your neighbor’s home, which not only puts yourself, but also those around you at risk for major injury or death.