Page 24 - IEC Insights May-Jun20

FEATURE

GFCIs Home Fires Awareness & Education

Since the 1970s, GFCIs have saved Home fires are more deadly and costly Electrical safety awareness and
thousands of lives and have helped cut than ever. While the number of total education among consumers, families,
the number of home electrocutions in fires and fire injuries are decreasing, employees, and communities will
half. GFCIs trip electrical circuits when property damage and fire deaths are on prevent electrical fires, injuries, and
they detect ground faults or leakage the rise. Each year arc-faults start more fatalities. ESFI strongly encourages
currents. A person who becomes part of than 35,000 home fires causing over states and jurisdictions to adopt the
a path for leakage current will be severely 1,130 injuries, 500 deaths, and $1.4 billion most recent codes and standards
shocked or electrocuted. These outlets in property damage. Arc-faults occur to protect residents with the latest
prevent deadly shock by quickly shutting because of damaged electrical wiring advancements in safety technology. To
off power to the circuit if the electricity and insulation, overheated or damaged help promote each year’s campaign,
flowing into the circuit differs by even extension cords under carpets or rugs, ESFI reaches out to state governors to
a slight amount from that returning. A and damaged or loose connections. urge them to proclaim May as National
GFCI should be used in any indoor or AFCIs are required in bedrooms, closets, Electrical Safety Month. States that
outdoor area where water may come kitchens, laundry areas, living rooms, have made proclamations for 2020
into contact with electrical products. The family rooms, rec rooms, parlors, libraries, include Alabama and South Dakota.
2020 National Electrical Code currently and dens. Types of arc-fault protection For ESFI’s complete collection of free
requires that GFCIs be used in all kitchens, include listed combination-type AFCI resources and information on using
bathrooms, garages, outdoor areas, circuit breakers, listed outlet branch- them in your community, visit
laundry areas, and in all 125-volt through circuit type AFCI receptacles, and www.esfi.org. ESFI is continually
250-volt receptacles supplied by single- listed outlet branch-circuit type AFCI focused and dedicated to reducing
phase branch circuits rated 150-volts or receptacles in combination with a listed the number of electrically related
less to ground in eleven locations of a branch-circuit overcurrent device. injuries and fatalities in the home
dwelling. Dryer and range receptacles, and in the workplace.
common 250-volt receptacles in homes,
require GFCI protection. Electric Shock
Brianne Deerwester is the
Each year, approximately 2,400 children Communications Coordinator for
Power Surges suffer severe shock and burns when they the Electrical Safety Foundation
stick items into the slots of electrical International. She handles all
A power surge is a sudden and receptacles. That is nearly seven children traditional and social media,
unwanted increase in voltage that can per day. It is estimated these actions promoting electrical safety at
damage, degrade, or destroy electronic cause around six to 12 fatalities per home and in the workplace.
equipment. Surges can be caused by year. Nearly one-third of these injuries
internal sources, such as when large are the result of small children placing
appliances turn on and off, or external ordinary household objects, such as
sources such as lightning. The average keys, pins, or paperclips into the outlets
home has $15,000 worth of equipment with disastrous consequences. Located
that can be damaged by a surge, but in practically every room in all homes
SPDs can prevent this damage. SPDs throughout the United States, electrical
are installed inside or outside the home outlets and receptacles represent a
to protect lighting, ovens, refrigerators, constant and real danger wherever young
water heaters, washers, dryers, heating, children are found. TRRs prevent these
air conditioning, entertainment injuries and fatalities from happening in
systems, and more. In a commercial the first place. They are required in new
setting, SPDs protect lighting circuits, and renovated childcare facilities, hotel
metering, medical equipment, critical and motel guest rooms, preschools and
loads, backup power, uninterruptable elementary education facilities, gyms,
power supply, and HVAC equipment. skating rinks, auditoriums, and places
In an industrial setting they protect of waiting. They are also required in
power distribution, control cabinets, offices, corridors, waiting rooms, and
programmable logic controllers, similar rooms in clinics, medical and
electronic motor controllers, and dental offices, and outpatient facilities.
equipment monitoring.

22 Insights Magazine | May/June 2020 | www.ieci.org