Electrical appliances for home and office use have increased over the years, and now we have an electronic device for almost every simple task. Every device requires electricity to function or charge, from smart televisions to smartphones, laptops, and Bluetooth speakers.
With many homes and workspaces having limited power outlets and many electronic appliances to rely on, the dependency on power strips has also increased lately, especially in offices and outdoor worksites.
Though power strips perform an excellent job of passing the electricity from the power outlets to the electronic appliances plugged in, they may also impose a severe threat of electrocution and fire hazard if not careful. The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) indicates that more than 3300 fire accidents occur due to power strip overload every year. Here are five power strip safety rules you must follow for a better and safe worksite.
1. Do Not Use a Daisy-chain Setup
Here’s one of the most common mistakes most people make while using power strips at home or even offices. There may be situations where the power outlet may still not be in reach despite using a power strip. Most people’s reaction to that problem is connecting multiple power strips to reach the faraway power outlet. However, doing is a high-risk activity that you must avoid at all times. Whether you use a flat cord power strip or a conventional one, the wires inside power strips are not similar to the wiring inside a power outlet. That means that they can heat quickly in case of an overload and cause a fire hazard. So, avoid a daisy chain set up at your workplace and home.
2. Provide a Proper Outlet for Any Excess Heat
Due to prolonged use, power strip cords may emit heat, and any such excess heath must get out. If you use duct covers or other forms of cover to wrap the power cord, you must do in a way there is an outlet. Most people cover the cords of a power outlet without keeping that in mind, and any excess heat gets trapped inside and may cause a fire hazard. The best way to avoid such situations is by using duct covers that have an air and heat outlet. Never cover any power cords under a rug or a carpet because there is no heat and an air outlet for the cords.
3. Floor Cable Protectors for Warehouses
Here’s another power strip safety rule you must follow as a business/ office owner, especially for warehouses. The delivery personnel may keep roaming around the warehouse with lots of cargo and other tools in hand. Tripping over cords and cables with heavy or no cargo in hand may result in an injury. So, it’s better to cover any power strip cords lying on the floor using a ground cable protector designed for that purpose. That way, you can also preserve the wire from breaking and prevent people from tripping over the cord.
4. Monitor, the Devices, Plugged into the Power Strip
A workspace requires many electronic devices, primarily during conferences and presentations. Projectors to copiers, fax machines, computers, and routers, there are several electronic devices you need to plug into the power outlet. However, it’s better to reserve the small electrical appliances drawing less power to the power strips.
Always plug-in the heavy devices to the main power outlets on the wall because they can handle them. By plugging high-power-consuming electrical appliances into a power strip, you risk overloading it and can cause a fire hazard. It’s also better to avoid using power strips constantly, so lightweight devices like phone chargers, laptop chargers, TVs, etc., may be an ideal option.
5. Don’t Nail, Staple, or Tape the Power Strips to Walls
If you are guilty of stapling, taping your power cords to other objects like ceilings, walls, and desks, you must stop doing so. Doing so may damage the exterior power cord and expose the inner wires to moisture, temperature, and other environmental factors. Also, taping any damaged cord may look like a temporary solution but may even prove fatal in the long run.
The power strips must at all times remain free with the cord straight without any knots and twists. If you notice any unusual heating of the power cord, you must repair or replace the power strip immediately as well.
Final Thoughts
Those were the five power strip safety rules to follow for having a safe and better environment at your workspace. Apart from the ones mentioned above, you must ensure that the power strip you buy has an ETL or UL certification. That way, you can rest assured about its quality and maximum capacity. Also, look for the maximum capacity of power strips and do not exceed that while plugging multiple electrical appliances.
