Safety For Kids

Take care around electricity! Teach children to never put fingers or objects into an electrical outlet, toaster or any other appliance, even if it's off. Review these safety rules often and remind children to always play it safe around electricity.

1. Stay away from power lines

Overhead wires enter houses and buildings at places called service drops. Service drops are not insulated, but covered with a weatherproofing material. But this material may become brittle and fall off. It is important not to touch wires at service drops or any outside power line, for that matter.

2. Never tug on a cord

Since electricity is almost everywhere you are, you need to learn how to be safe all the time. Whether you're at home or at school, it's important to be extremely careful around electricity.

3. Keep fingers away

4. Keep electrical appliances away from water

Keep electrical appliances, like hair dryers and radios, away from showers, sinks and bathtubs. Also remember that when you're wet, your body makes a good conductor for electricity. Make sure your hands are completely dry before you handle an electrical appliance.

5. Don't overload outlets

Make sure the outlets in your home are not overloaded with too many plugs. This could cause a short circuit and possibly a fire.

Appliance cords are covered with insulation to protect you from touching the bare wires, which conduct electricity. Always beware of appliance cords that might have frayed or damaged insulation.

6. Stay away from downed power lines

Storms or accidents can sometimes cause power lines to fall to the ground. It's hard to tell whether a wire lying on the ground is carrying electricity.

Stay away from any wire on the ground. If you spot a downed wire, immediately call your local police and power company. Keep others from getting near the downed wire until help arrives.

7. Danger high voltage

Substations are fenced areas where huge power transformers sit. The electricity inside the transformers is extremely strong and dangerous. Substations are marked with DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE signs. Don't even go near the fence surrounding a substation.

Some power lines are buried underground. They are controlled by a special type of transformer in a large metal cabinet that sits on a concrete pad. This transformer is called a padmounted transformer.

It's also marked with DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE signs.

• Never climb or play around padmounted transformers.
• Report any broken locks on transformer cabinet doors to your police and your power company.
• Don't put fingers or other objects through cracks in a padmounted transformer.

Don't dig or plant flowers or shrubs near padmounted transformers.

8. Safety first

• Never raise ladders or antennas near power lines.
• Keep skimmer poles far away from overhead lines when cleaning swimming pools.
• Keep sailboat masts away from power lines.

9. Keep kites and balloons far away

Keep kites and balloons far away from power lines! Since overhead power lines are not insulated, a kite or balloon string can conduct electricity to the ground.

10. Look out for wires near tree limbs

Tree limbs that grow up near power lines can be unsafe. If you climb such a tree, you could get hurt from electrical shock.