Fact or Fiction—Myths about Electrical Safety
Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power would like to share some common Electrical Safety Myths and the truth behind them. This is one time that checking facts just might save your life.
- MYTH – A downed power line will be arcing and smoking if it still has power.
FACT – Power lines do not automatically shut off when they fall and do not necessarily arc, flash, pop, or smoke when they hit the ground. There is no way to know for sure if a line has potentially deadly current running through it unless it has been properly discharged by a utility crew, so stay away from all downed power lines and keep others away.
- MYTH – Household current cannot kill you.
FACT – Household current can and does kill. Case-in-point, 10-year-old Caitlyn Mackenzie was killed by household current when she touched a lamp while still damp from a swimming pool. You can see Caitlyn’s story at SafeElectricity.org.
- MYTH – Power lines are insulated.
FACT – The majority of outside power lines are not insulated. The coating you might see on the lines are just weatherproofing that will offer no protection from the electricity flowing through the lines.
- MYTH – Light digging in the yard won’t be deep enough to hit any wires or pipes.
FACT – You can never be sure where lines and pipes are buried. Even if you are just planting flowers or a shrub, you might come into contact with power lines that could kill you. Contact 811 to locate buried utilities before digging. Keep in mind that the locations are approximate, so if you are digging near one of the marked lines, do so with caution.
To find out how to keep your family safe from electrical hazards, go to celp.com and SafeElectricity.org.