electrical extension cord safety-l&i v1

8/13/2019 Electrical Extension Cord Safety-L&I v1

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EXTENSION CORD SAFETY

Bureau of Workers CompPA Training for Health & Safety

(PATHS)

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Home Made Extension Cord

Legal for use

in the workenvironment?

Safe?

MadeCorrectly?

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Homemade Gang Box ElectricalExtension Cords

Not allowed in worksetting per OSHA:

29 CFR 1910.305

29 CFR 1926.405

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Electrical Extension Cord

Electrical extension cords:

May notbe used as permanent wiring

Must be of industrial commercial quality

Made by a commercial company for use inindustrial environment

Made to same standards as those used by a

commercial manufacturer Proper size and temperature rating to withstand

the electrical load

Approved by a recognized testing agency

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Electrical Extension Cord (cont.)

Should notbe:

wrapped around nails

spliced

run across walkways

run under rugs or heavy furniture

Should be:

in good condition

inspected before use

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Safety

Check the information on your cord. Extensioncords are labeled with valuable information asto the use, size and wattage rating of thecord.

Cords are offered in many lengths and arelabeled with size or gauge.

Gauge based on the American Wire Gauge, or

AWG, system, whereby the larger the wire,the smaller the AWG number (e.g., 12 gaugewire would be larger and can power largerwattage appliances than 14 gauge wire).

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Safety (cont.)

Determine the gauge needed:

All appliances indicate how much wattage isconsumed when operated.

The rating can be found on appliance itselfand often within the use and care booklet thataccompanies the product.

Other appliances will indicate power usage inamps, rather than watts. Quick tip: If yourappliance indicates that it uses 5 amps at 125volts, then its wattage rating is 625W(5125).

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Safety (cont.)

Decide whether you will be using theappliance indoors or outdoors:

Extension cords that can be used outdoors will

be clearly marked Suitable for use withoutdoor appliances.

Never use an indoor extension cord outdoors;it could result in an electric shock or firehazard.

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Safety (cont.)

Determine how long you need the cord to be:

A cord, based on its gauge, can power anappliance of a certain wattage only at specific

distances.

As the cord gets longer, the current carryingcapacity of the cord gets lower.

Example: 16 gauge extension cord less than 50feet in length can power a 1625 watt (W)appliance; 16 gauge cord that is longer than 50feet can only power an appliance up to 1250W.

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Safety (cont.)

Place the cord correctly:

Do not place underneath rugs or other heavyfurniture.

Should not be tacked in place to a wall ortaped down.

Should not be used while coiled or bent.

Match the length of the cord to the lengthof your needs.

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What are the Problems?

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Unsafe

This clamp isdesigned to holdRomex wire for

behind wallinstallation.

Clamp has a flatmetal edge

which, over time,can causeinternal wiring tobreak and short.

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Unsafe (cont.)

Use and age hascaused thiscord to begin to

crack.

Eventually thewiring inside willbe exposed.

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Unsafe (cont.)

Metal outlet box can bend tocontact outlet posts.

Picture shows post nearly

touching box.Under certain circumstances,current could jump thisnarrow gap.

During normal usage, outletbox case could bend in totouch the post.

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Unsafe (cont.)

Nail openingsin the back ofthis outlet willallow fluid

inside theoutlet box.

This could

cause casingto beenergized.

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Unsafe (cont.)

Note opening in thepop out on thismetal outlet casing.

Typical for this typeof outlet box.

Can also allow fluidinto the box and

cause casing to beenergized.

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Unsafe (cont.)

Note the

exposedwiring fromthis brokenmale plug

Also bentgroundingprong

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Summary

Extension cords must be "of proper size andtemperature rating to withstand the electricalload and be approved by a recognized testingagency.

Locally purchased extension cords may notmeet this standard.

Always check applicable regulations/standards

before buying or using extension cords at work.

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Questions

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electrical extension cord safety-l&i v1

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