Electronics are useful in everyday life but can pose significant dangers if you aren’t careful. They can create sparks and electrical discharges that pose a risk to you and everyone else if they’re damaged or misused.
Old wiring and faulty electronics can cause electricity to erupt and ignite nearby objects. This situation can cause significant damage if you aren’t careful. These tips will help you understand how to stay safe during an electrical fire.
Take Preventative Measures
The most basic way to protect yourself from electrical fires is to prevent them altogether. Improperly grounded outlets, electric heaters, and defects in appliances are the most common reasons they occur. Things can quickly get out of control when wiring fails, making it essential to act immediately.
You should avoid putting excess load on your circuit breakers and never install ground fault interrupters near water to prevent electrical fires. Keep flammable items clear of outlets and cords to ensure they don’t cause ignition. Replace old or damaged appliances at the end of their lives. You can schedule a yearly safety inspection to ensure your home or business is safe from electrical hazards.
Pay Attention to Your Surroundings
Staying vigilant and aware of everything going on around you is important if an electrical fire does occur. Anything can happen during an electrical fire, and you’ll want to have enough presence of mind to stay cautious while acting quickly on your safety training.
Knowing what to do during an emergency is essential to ensure you and others can get to safety. Size up the fire, consider the risks, and act accordingly. Avoid inhaling smoke and get to safety immediately to ensure you don’t get injured or suffer long-term health effects.
Contact Emergency Services
Once you’re sure you’re safe, you should contact emergency services right away. Local agencies are ready and waiting to assist in an emergency. Ensure you have all the relevant information available to communicate the situation as clearly as possible to the authorities.
You’ll want to provide your location, describe the problem, and let them know if any people need emergency care. Try to remain calm during the situation. Don’t panic. Answer any questions the operator asks. They’ll need as much information as possible to provide adequate rescue services.
Don’t Touch Appliances
Do not touch the appliances directly if you’re experiencing an electrical fire in your home. You could experience electrocution or burns if there’s a short or arc flash. Avoid touching anything until you’ve disconnected it from its power source if you see smoke or flames coming out of a device.
You should stay as far away as possible if an appliance puts off sparks. Flickering or dimming lights, tripped circuit breakers, and a constant burning smell are the most apparent indicators of an electrical fire. You must act immediately if you notice any of these signs.
Turn Off Power
You should do everything possible to cut the power when electronic devices catch fire. Small electrical fires can grow to become much more of a threat if they continue to develop. Once you turn off the power, it becomes an ordinary fire you can handle with the appropriate tools and steps.
Turning off the switch or unplugging the device will prevent further ignition from electrical arcs. Be careful, and don’t put yourself in unnecessary danger if you can’t get to the device. You should wait for emergency services to arrive if the fire is overwhelming.
Don’t use Water
Do not use water if you do find yourself attempting to extinguish an electrical fire. Because water conducts electricity, you can end up helping the fire spread or putting yourself at risk of electrocution. Instead, you can use baking soda or a fire extinguisher to deal with the hazard.
Baking soda can help smother the fire by preventing smaller electrical fires from getting oxygen. Class C fire extinguishers contain unique chemical properties that discharge carbon dioxide, making them safe to use on live wires, appliances, and other electronic equipment.
Wear Arc-Rated Clothing
Those in industrial settings should already have properly rated clothing to prevent burns and reduce the skin’s exposure to high temperatures. A reliable set of arc-rated clothing can reduce the dangers posed by arc flashes and other electrical events. However, you must have the right gear for maximum safety.
Garments should fit snuggly without hanging loose off your body. Dressing in layers will ensure you’re ready for the environment. You should ensure you wear the essential equipment, from steel-toed boots to an FR hooded sweatshirt, to protect yourself from hazards while on the job.
Have an Escape Plan
No matter where you are, it’s good to know where marked emergency exits are and to understand the proper procedures for evacuation. It can be difficult to make critical decisions when your life is in danger, so be sure you always have an escape plan you can follow when things get hectic.
Emergency routes should always remain unobstructed. Ensure there are no stored materials, locked doors, or dead ends preventing people from getting to safety promptly. Drawing up escape procedures and posting them in clearly visible, common areas can make a huge difference when you need to get out quickly.
Stop, Drop, and Roll
One of the most essential safety practices during fires is knowing how to put yourself out. You should immediately stop, drop, and roll if your clothing ignites and catches fire to avoid continuous exposure to your skin and hopefully smother the flames.
Once you hit the ground, lay flat with your face towards the ground and splay your arms and legs. Cover your eyes and mouth to avoid smoke if you can. Roll back and forth until the flames are out or until someone comes to assist. This motion should minimize injuries and give you a chance to get to safety.
Use Basic Electrical and Fire Safety Protocols
Hazards are all over the place, from the home to the work site. By learning basic precautions, you’ll give yourself time to act accordingly.
Learning to stay safe during an electrical fire will help you avoid common mistakes and unnecessary injuries.
