The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is again sponsoring this month's observance of National Electrical Safety Month. This year's campaign focuses on helping consumers take an active role in identifying older-home hazards.

According to ESFI, electrical problems account for nearly 55,000 house fires each year. These cause more than 500 deaths, injure more than 1,400 people, and account for $4.1 billion in property damage. Older homes and their electrical systems were built before many of the safer appliances and electronics in use in newer structures.

ESFI has created a checklist you may wish to share with your employees. It details electrical dangers commonly found in each room of the home. The list can be downloaded at http://www.electrical-safety.org.

The foundation is also encouraging people living in older homes with children to install tamper-resistant receptacles. These look like electrical outlets, but have a built-in shutter system that prevents children from inserting foreign objects into the slots.

Electrical Safety Month is also an appropriate time to review electrical safety policies and systems at your workplace. Consider asking your safety committee to focus on this all-important topic this month.

[Source: OSHA Compliance Advisor. Subscribe today!]