Cooperative Living May 2014 - 24

SAFETY SENSE
Reducing
Electrical Threats
Around the Home
E
ach year, residential electrical fires in the United
States are responsible for nearly 500 deaths, more
than 1,400 injuries and $1.3 billion in property
damage. And fire is not the only danger. Thousands of
children and adults are critically injured and electrocuted
annually from accidents in their homes.
May is Electrical Safety Month and a good time for a
checkup of your home's electrical system. The Electrical
Safety Foundation International (ESFI) urges all consumers
TAMPER RESISTANT
RECEPTACLES (TRRs):
* Every year in the United States,
more than 2,400 children
under 10 years old
are treated in
hospital emergency
rooms for electric
shock or burns
caused by tampering
with a wall outlet,
which could be
prevented by installing TRRs in
the home.
* TRRs look just like ordinary outlets,
but are designed with springloaded
receptacle cover plates
that close off the receptacle openings
or slots, preventing insertion
of foreign objects and protecting
children from painful, traumatic
electrical injuries.
* When equal pressure is
simultaneously applied to both
sides, the cover plates open to
allow the standard plug to make
contact with the receptacle contact
points. Without simultaneous
pressure, the cover plates remain
closed.
to protect their homes with tamper resistant receptacles
(TRRs), arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) and ground
fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). AFCIs, TRRs and GFCIs
can prevent tragedy before it ever occurs. In fact, these
devices have proven so effective that the National
Electrical Code (NEC) requires them to be installed in
all new homes. Existing homes with aging electrical
systems can also benefit from installing these three
technologies.
ARC FAULT CIRCUIT
INTERRUPTERS (AFCIs):
* An arc fault is caused by damaged,
overheated or stressed electrical
wiring or devices, and
is one of the major
causes of the more
than 51,000 electrical
fires that occur
each year in the
United States.
* Branch/feeder AFCIs
replace standard circuit breakers in
the home's electrical service panel.
They detect hazardous arcing conditions,
shutting down the electric
current before a fire can start.
* Outlet AFCIs provide protection to
power cords and electric-powered
equipment plugged into an outdoor
receptacle.
* Combination AFCIs include the features
of circuit breaker and outlet
AFCIs. Originally, AFCIs were only
required to protect bedroom circuits,
but the 2011 National
Electrical Code (NEC) requires that
this technology be installed in additional
areas of the home, including
dining and living rooms.
More information about these safety devices, including illustrated guides, fact sheets
and videos, can be found at www.esfi.org, or check with your local fire department.
22
GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT
INTERRUPTERS (GFCIs):
* A GFCI is a device designed to
protect people from electric shock
and electrocution by
constantly monitoring
electricity flow in a
circuit and quickly
switching off power
if it senses any loss
of current.
* GFCIs can be
installed at the main service panel,
in place of standard electrical outlets,
or can be used as a portable
device.
* Typically, GFCIs are installed in
areas where water and electricity
are in close proximity, such as the
bathroom, garage, kitchen and
basement. Their use can prevent
more than two-thirds of the home
electrocutions that occur each year.
* GFCIs should be tested monthly, as
they can be damaged as a result of
voltage surges from lightning, utility
switching or normal use.
* While GFCIs should be installed by
a licensed electrician, portable
GFCIs require no tools to install. 
Source: Electrical Safety Foundation
International, www.ESFI.org
Cooperative Living/May 2014
http://www.esfi.org http://www.ESFI.org
Cooperative Living May 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living May 2014
