Safety should be our number one concern. On a job site, there are so many things happening at one time. People are moving and hustling around to get the job done. While we take safety serious, we don’t always think about the small safety items. Sure we fence off dangerous spots, wear a harness when working on a ledge. We make sure we use power tools in the correct manner, but sometimes we over look the small things, like extension cord. So I thought this would be a great time to talk about power cord safety.
- Match your extension cord to your surrounding environment. If you are working outside, use an extension cord rated for outside. Don’t use an indoor cord outside. Outside cords are built to withstand the outside environment.
- Never cut off your ground prong, it’s there for a reason.
- Match your extension cord to your job. If you will be using a tool that requires a lot of power or amps, make sure you have the correct extension cord for the job. Remember the lower the gauge cord, the more power the cord can handle.
- Don’t string a bunch of extension cords together, just get a different cord. The longer the cord, the less power it can handle.
- Don’t lay cords on the ground where there is high foot traffic. Not only do you create a tripping hazard, but you can ruin your cord when people are stepping on it.
- Always inspect your extension cord for tears, cuts, scratches. Don’t try to fix it with tape, through it out and get a new cord. You don’t want to create a fire hazard.
- If a cord is hot, don’t touch it and stop using it.
If you follow these simple steps, yu can prevent accidents and make a safer work environment.