Seasonal Safety

The danger of electrical shock is possible whenever electrical power is present. Most fatal injuries result from high-voltage exposure; however, any electrical device used on a house wiring circuit can, under certain conditions, transmit a fatal amount of current. Your load center, sometimes also referred to as a panel box, is an insulated box on which interconnected circuits are mounted. While load centers are engineered for safety, they are the hub for your entire home’s electricity. When completing remodeling projects or just checking a tripped breaker after a storm, take into account the following considerations when working with your load center:

• Know where your load center is located
• Do not tape circuit switches to keep a breaker from tripping
• Ensure that breaker circuits are accurately labeled within your load center
• Ensure that load center doors are securely attached
• Do not block load centers. There should be at least 30 inches of clear space in front of the load center
• Immediately attend to tripped breakers and refer electrical problems and questions to an electrical professional