Seasonal Electric Safety Tips - Spring

Harsh weather sometimes means unavoidable springtime power outages. If your power goes out:

• Check your circuit breakers, see if the neighbors have lost their power, too, and then call the St. Charles Electric Utility at (630) 443-3681.
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors shut to help keep the temperature from dropping. A closed refrigerator will stay cold for up to 12 hours.
• Leave one light switch on so you will know when power is restored. Unplug other appliances so they are not damaged when the power comes back on.
• If you have a back-up generator, equip it with a double-throw switch that will disconnect your home's circuits from ours. Throw the switch if you turn on the generator.

Following are more electric safety tips for spring and summer . . .

• Call before you dig! 800-892-0123 Whether you're a homeowner landscaping your yard or a professional contractor digging utility trenches, remember to call JULIE at least two working days before you dig. It's a free service, and it's required by state law.
• Fly kites in large, open areas like a park or field, safely away from trees, overhead power lines and other electrical equipment. If a kite or balloon gets stuck in a tree that is near a power line, don't climb up to get it. Contact the Electric Utility (630-443-3681) for help.
• Never enter an electric substation for any reason. The substations contain high-voltage equipment that can kill. If a ball or toy strays inside a substation fence, call the Electric Utility (630-443-3681) for assistance.
• Electrically powered lawn mowers should not be used on wet grass. Use an extension cord designed for outdoor use and rated for the power need of your mower.
• Always look for the UL listing mark before purchasing a power tool, garden appliance or electrical product. Before each use, inspect power tools for frayed cords or cracked casings. Make sure the power is off before plugging anything in.
• When using tools or extension cords outside, make sure they are appropriate for outdoor use, and do not use them around wet areas.
• Never alter a product or remove safety features, such as blade guards or electric plug grounding pins.
• While operating a saw, keep the cord away from the cutting area and position it so it will not be caught on the work piece.
• Keep vegetation and permanent structures away from the large, green boxes that house components of an underground electrical system. St. Charles Electric Utility workers may need to access the underground lines and equipment near these boxes during unplanned outages and routine maintenance.
• Be aware of overhead power lines nearby before climbing a ladder or extending the handle of telescoping tools.
• Before every use, inspect power tools and electric lawn mowers for frayed power cords, broken plugs and weathered or damaged housings. Don't use damaged equipment until it has been repaired properly. Keep tools unplugged and stored in dry areas when they are not in use.
• Before you trim tree limbs and shrubs, watch out for power lines that could be hidden by foliage. Contact the St. Charles Electric Utility if there are concerns about tree limbs growing into or around overhead power lines on your property.

Seasonal Electric Safety Tips - Fall

Landscaping - Plan First
Fall is the perfect time for planting trees and shrubs. Be sure to consider the proper placement of trees and shrubs near power lines.

• Select low-growing trees or shrubs that will not touch overhead power lines.
• Call JULIE at 800-892-0123 before you dig. The utility companies will come out promptly and flag utilities located underground.
• It is possible to attractively landscape around pad-mounted transformer equipment (large green boxes) with ornamental shrubs but it is important to remember not to plant shrubs on the padlock side of padmount transformers. This side must be kept open for maintenance work to be done on the padmount. When planting near a transformer, maintain a distance of 8 feet from any side with a door or opening and 3 feet from other sides. Electric workers need space to safely open the transformer when working on underground power lines. Service restoration efforts can be delayed by landscaping placed too close to the transformer. In addition, workers must sometimes cut down the plantings to perform the restoration work. Plantings that are cut down as a result of being too close to the transformer will not be replaced by the City Electric Utility.
• Fences near equipment may be provided with a gate or removable section. Such a removable section must be easily removable by one person without tools. Fencing may not block access to equipment, meters, transformers or switches (i.e. no locks or other impediments).
• Pad-mounted transformers and other above-ground electric equipment cannot be used for any purpose other than that which it was inteded. It also cannot be painted or marked.

Ladder and Antenna Safety
Many homeowners winterize their homes in the fall, cleaning gutters, repairing roofs, painting, or fixing siding. Use caution when using a ladder in the vicinity of power lines. Keep ladders and tools at least 10 feet from power lines. Allow greater clearance around high-voltage lines. Use a clean, dry wood or fiberglass ladder near electric lines. Do not use a metal ladder.

When installing or removing an antenna, make sure it is at least one-and-one-half times its total height away from power lines. If the antenna starts to fall, let it go and stay clear. Looks can be deceiving, overhead power lines are not insulated. What may look like insulation is weatherproofing material. Wires should not be touched under any circumstances.

As an extra safety measure, plan your maintenance work when someone else is at home, or let a neighbor know your plans.

Generators
Standby generators can come in handy during storm-related outages. However, be sure that your generator is installed by a qualified electrician so the generator's circuits and the St. Charles Electric Utility circuits are not connected. In other words, they must be properly "isolated." If they are not properly isolated, customer-generated power can flow back to the power line, electrocuting an electric utility worker attempting to restore power. Conversely, if the circuits are not properly isolated, power distributed from the main power lines can lead to overheating the generator. This could cause an electrical fire. The most common isolation method is to install a double-throw double-pole transfer switch.

Portable generators that are not properly isolated could lead to the same hazards. To properly isolate portable generators, customers should be careful that they never connect the generator to an electrical outlet. Instead, appliances should be connected directly to the generator.

The easiest way to use a generator is to simply plug the equipment to be operated directly into the proper outlet on the generator. Never connect the generator's electrical output to any live home or building electrical circuits. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. Also:

• Avoid contact with bare wires and terminals.
• Use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) in any damp or highly conductive area.
• Consult a licensed electrician to choose a generator and make certain it meets national and local electrical code requirements.

Halloween Safety
Halloween is the most decorated holiday following Christmas, and there are an increasingly wide variety of electrical decorations to choose from. This Halloween, be sure not to be “tricked” by the improper use of decorations so they can be a “treat” to look at:

• Choose lights and animated figures with certified safety approvals.
• Before using extension cords, be sure they are built for outdoor use.
• Follow installation and maintenance directions for all electric decorations.
• Check decorations for cracked sockets, frayed or loose wires, and replace them if necessary.
• Turn off all electrical decorations before going to bed, or better yet, use a timer.

Electric Poles are Not Bulletin Boards
The St. Charles Electric Utility would like to remind everyone that utility poles are not intended for posting unauthorized signs for garage sales, advertisements, or events. These items and the materials used to attach them to the poles (nails, staples, tape, etc.) create a hazard to the person installing them as well as to electric utility personnel who have to work on the poles.

Seasonal Electric Safety Tips - Winter

Space Heater Safety

Thanks to new regulations and up-to-date designs, portable electric space heaters are safer than ever to use at home. That's good news, because a space heater can be a cost-effective way to warm up an unheated room or add some extra heat in cool spots throughout the house.

Many new models are cool to the touch and automatically shut themselves off if they tip over. Still, it's a good idea to keep safety in mind when using heaters and all electric appliances. To make sure your family is keeping warm and not getting burned by space heaters, here are a few safety guidelines:

• Leave three or four feet of space between your portable heater and drapes, furniture and bedspreads.
• Don't plug a space heater into an extension cord. Extenison cords are meant for temporary use only and can overheat if they're used constantly.
• Never run a heater cord (or any other electrical cord) under carpet or furniture.
• Water and electricity don't mix—never touch an electric heater if any part of your body is wet or if you are standing in water.
• Turn off your heater when you go to sleep or leave the room.
• Buy a heater with a protective grill or screen that covers the heating element.
• Dry your clothes in the dryer—never drape them over a portable heater.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International offers the following tips:

• Have your heating systems inspected by a qualified service professional at least once a year. This inspection should include lubrication and cleaning, replacing filters, a check of belts and thermostats and having vents cleared of obstructions, as necessary.
• Make sure window air conditioners do not allow cold air to sneak through or around sides, top and bottom, putting an extra strain on heating systems and adding cost for homeowners. Local hardware stores can provide covers and other easy, low-cost ways to keep that cold air out.
• Caulking around windows and other openings can stop the cold air invasion dead in its tracks. Caulking and a caulking gun from your local hardware are inexpensive and easy to use. A warmer home and lower utility bills can result.
• Use products only for their intended purposes. Hair dryers aren't intended to thaw frozen pipes, dry clothing or warm bedding.
• When using a portable electric heater, keep flammable materials - bedding, clothing, draperies, rugs and furniture - at last three feet away even if it has safety features such as cut-off switches or heating element guards.

If you use an electric blanket to keep warm on a cold night, follow the manufacturers instructions and make sure you turn it off and unplug it when it's not in use. Never tuck an electrical blanket in.