12/07/2018
HOW TO STAY SAFE FROM ELECTRIC SHOCK THIS RAINY SEASON - KNL Mechanicals
During the rainy seasons, floods occur in many places, so you should be extra careful when using electrical equipment.
Many accidents involving electricity occur as a result of electric faults during the rainy season.
Mr Joseph Onyango, a Kisumu-based electrical engineer, says it is advisable not to handle electrical items with wet hands, or to allow power cables to get into contact with water.
He also warns against using equipment such as anelectric lawn mower and other tools in the rain or on wet grass.
“The use of an earth leakage circuit breaker to help prevent electrocution and electrical shocks should be encouraged at all times to avoid shocks and explosion,” says Mr Onyango.
He says that some home owners try to repair their faulty electrical equipment or faulty electric sockets themselves but greatly discourages the habit.
“Always get someone qualified to repair faulty electrical equipment or power sockets whether it is during the dry or and rainy season,” he asserts Onyango.
Since thunderstorms are common during the rainy season, they can cause electricity poles to lean, and power cables to sag or even get cut. These pose serious dangers since the poles can collapse, or the power cables can get into contact with water.
Electrical devices such as circuit breakers, fuses, socket outlets, plugs and switches can malfunction when water and silt get in them, so call an expert to check and replace them, if this happens.
Always use an extension cable marked for outdoor use and rated for the power needs of your tools.
It is also important to note that water can damage the motors in electrical appliances such as furnaces, freezers, refrigerators, washing machines, and dryers. This can, in turn, make their electrical parts malfunction, making it possible for them to give someone a shock, or to overheat and cause a fire.
Use socket outlet covers on outdoor sockets near swimming pools. Keep cords and electrical devices away from pools. Never handle electrical items when you are wet.
Use an earth leakage circuit breaker to guard against electrocution and electrical shocks.
CHECK CONDUCTION OF ELECTRIC CABLES
Ms Judith Otieno, who survived an electric accident, says that it is necessary to always check the condition of the electric cables in your house, especially if you have children.
“Before flipping a switch on or plugging in an appliance, have an electrician check the wiring and appliances to make sure they safe to use,” says Ms Otieno.
Ms Otieno got an electric shock when using a wet-dry vacuum cleaner. “I did not check the state of the vacuum cleaner, I just connected it to the socket, only to get a shock because it was wet,” she offers.
She further advises that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid getting an electric shock.
If you see a sagging power line in your neighbourhood, keep your distance from it and anything touching it and inform Kenya Power. The safest way to move away from the line is to shuffle, keeping your feet together and on the ground at all times.
This will minimise the potential for a strong electric shock. Electricity moves from a high-voltage zone to a low-voltage zone, and it could do that through your body, since the human body can conduct electricity.
