Dear friends: Please enjoy this guest blog post from Rinehart Inspection Services, LLC, one of many local contractors found on Serena’s List, my little black book of useful resources. For your own copy of the list, just subscribe to my Top Secret blog — here to bring you valuable information on home-ownership, the local real estate market, the South Seattle community and much more.

When you think of things that are strong conductors of electricity, power lines, wires and metals likely come to mind.

Surprisingly, the human body can also be an excellent electricity conductor, and when electric currents hit the body several types of injuries may occur. The body may go into cardiac arrest because of the electricity’s effect on the heart; muscle, nerves and tissue can be damaged due to the current; or thermal burns can occur if the body contacts an electrical source.

The severity of the injuries depends on a variety of factors (the voltage of electricity, the person’s state of health, how the current travels through the body and how quickly medical help is received), but, according to the National Institutes of Health, some 1,000 people die in the United States each year because of electric shock. Fortunately, you and your loved ones can dramatically reduce the risks if you are aware of top electrocution threats in and around your home and take the simple measures to prevent them:

1. Extension Cords
These handy tools can cause electrical burns and shock if they’re not used carefully. Cords that have exposed wires should never be used, as kids and pets can (and will) chew on them if they can get them. In fact, electrical burns to the mouth account for half of the extension-cord-related injuries to young children, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Even an intact extension cord poses a risk. For instance, in one case a 15-month- old girl put an extension cord in her mouth and suffered electrical burns that required surgery. To reduce the risks, keep extension cords out of reach of kids and pets, and always purchase cords that have the UL and OSHA labels on them (these cords have been subjected to strict tests to ensure they meet certain safety standards). Further, use common sense measures to be sure the cords are in good shape, including:

• Inspect them regularly for signs of wear and tear.
• Replace old extension cords that are cracked or frayed.
• Only use exterior extension cords for outside use.
• Don’t overload cords or sockets.
• Pull the plug, not the cord, when disconnecting it from the socket
• Only use extension cords when they’re absolutely necessary, and try not to use them for long- term purposes.

2. Electrical Outlets  
Most electrical outlets are located in areas of the home that children can easily reach. Close to 4,000 injuries associated with electrical outlets are treated in U.S. emergency rooms every year, says the CPSC, and about one-third of these occur when kids looking to explore insert metal objects like keys and hairpins into the outlets.

Since you can’t move your outlets away from your kids, it’s imperative to cover your outlets with the Sliding Decora Outlet Cover (for outlet covers requiring two screws, as in most newer homes) or the Standard Sliding Outlet Cover (for outlet covers requiring only one screw in the middle, as in most older homes.) These easy-to-install outlet covers are spring activated, so they automatically cover outlets when any plug is removed. This means kids can’t insert objects or fingers into the outlets at any time!

It’s important to only insert appropriate plugs into electrical outlets (any other object poses an electrocution danger) and use caution when you do, such as being careful not to touch the metal prongs when inserting the plug.

3. Electric Appliances
We become so accustomed to using electric appliances in our daily lives that it’s easy to become careless with their use. This is often when electrocution can occur. Even touching an electric appliance like a hair dryer with wet hands can cause a shock. Here are some other safety tips to keep safe around electric appliances:

• Don’t use electric appliances near water or while touching faucets or water pipes.
• Don’t use appliances that have worn plugs or cracked wires.
• Don’t attempt to fix electrical appliances on your own, even if it appears simple.
• Unplug appliances when they’re not in use.

4. Swimming Pools, Hot Tubs, Spas
The common risk that comes along with swimming pools and hot tubs is drowning, but the American Red Cross points out another, often overlooked, risk — electrocution. According to CPSC, the biggest risks of electrocution here come from faulty underwater lighting, aging electrical wiring, sump pumps, power washers and vacuums that are not grounded, and electrical appliances and extension cords that fall into the water. The risk is especially apparent if lighting and circuits aren’t protected by Ground-Fault Circuit- Interrupters (GFCIs), which are one of the best ways to prevent electrocution, CPSC says.

According to Hal Stratton of CPSC, “The best protection for families is inspection, detection, and correction of electrical hazards in and around swimming pools, hot tubs and spas. CPSC strongly encourages residential and commercial pool owners and operators to upgrade protection of the lights, receptacles, and switches with GFCIs. Older pools are the biggest concern, as underwater lighting fixtures may have degraded with age and may not be protected by GFCIs.”

5. Power Lines
High-voltage overhead power lines can pose a risk to people on ladders or other lifts. Says Thomas Moore of CPSC, “CPSC believes that there are still many electrocution deaths that could be prevented. Consumers should never place a ladder, antenna, or anything else near a power line. Consumers who come in contact with an overhead power line may not live to share their experience.”Further, wires from a downed power line can also be deadly. Never go near a power line that is down, such as after a storm, as live wires can be present long after the pole falls (until the electricity has been turned off). People have also died after striking an electrical pole in a car accident and having the live wires touch the car.

6. Lightning
Lightning and thunderstorms are most likely to occur on hot and humid days. If you sense a storm approaching, seek shelter indoors immediately, as lightning can cause serious injury, particularly to those who are stranded outside without proper protection. According to Dawna L. Cyr and Steven B. Johnson, Ph.D. from the University of Maine, lightning can injure or kill people in five ways:

• Through a direct strike that causes cardiac arrest or stops breathing.
• A side-flash, in which the body acts as an alternate or parallel path for the current to reach the ground. If the current passes through the head or heart it can be deadly.
• Current from a lightning flash, ranging from tingling shock to a massive current, can be diverted from a poorly grounded electric power pole through a wiring system.
• Step voltage can radiate out through the ground from a struck tree or pole (this kills many livestock each year).
• Indirectly, through fires, fallen trees or crushed cars. During a lightning storm, avoid tall, isolated objects, don’t attempt to touch any fallen wires, and if you are struck by lightning be sure to seek medical attention even if the injury seems minor.

7. Six Things NOT to Do to an Electrocution Victim
If you are with someone who is electrocuted, here is what NOT to do, according to the National Institutes of Health:

• DO NOT touch the victim with your bare hands if the person is still in contact with the source of electricity.
• DO NOT remove dead skin or break blisters if the person is burned.
• DO NOT apply ice, butter, ointments, medications, fluffy cotton dressings, or adhesive bandages to a burn.
• DO NOT touch the skin of someone who is being electrocuted.
• DO NOT get within 20 feet of someone who is being electrocuted by high-voltage electrical current until the power is turned off.
• DO NOT move a victim of electrical injury unless there is immediate danger.