As Muskoka residents take stock of the damage from another storm, there are key safety tips to ensure everyone remains safe. The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) warns of an increased risk of electric shock as the clean-up begins.
Safety is paramount, and knowing the proper safety precautions is crucial to protecting all community members, first responders, and utility workers.
On behalf of the ESA, here are important safety tips:
Storm clean-up:
- Downed powerlines may still be live and pose a danger. Stay at least 10 meters back from downed powerlines (about the length of a school bus). If you see a downed powerline, always assume it is live and call 911 and your local utility.
- Wait for the power to be disconnected or the lines to be repaired before starting yard cleanup, as downed powerlines may be hidden under debris or branches.
- Watch out for low hanging powerlines, always keeping you and your tools 3 metres away from any overhead powerlines.
Check for damage:
- Visually check (do not touch!) for damage to your home or electrical service coming into your home.
- If your electrical system is damaged, power may not be restored until an assessment and repairs are made.
- ESA recommends hiring a Licensed Electrical Contractor (LEC) to evaluate the safety of your system before power is restored. Find an LEC near you at findacontractor.esasafe.com.
- Burst pipes, burst or backed-up water mains or non-functioning sump pumps from continued power outages may cause flooding inside your home. If there is water in your basement, DO NOT enter until the utility has disconnected the power to avoid risk of electrical shock.
Stay safe with portable generators:
- Never use a generator indoors. It produces deadly carbon monoxide, so place it outside, away from windows, doors, or vents.
- When purchasing a generator, ensure it has a Canadian certification mark from an approved agency.
- Never connect a portable generator directly to your home’s electrical system. It could cause power to flow back into the grid, which could harm you, utility workers, or the grid.
- To permanently connect a generator to your home, file a permit with ESA, and have a Licensed Electrical Contractor handle the installation.
ESA also has experts available to discuss electrical safety tips to keep everyone safe as the community navigates this challenging time.
Please find a press release below with more information. You can also access the live link to the release here.
Additional safety tips can also be found at ESAsafe.com/IceStorms.
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