Did you know more than 30,000 non-fatal electrical shock accidents occur in homes annually? Do you know that on an average 325 people are killed in the US alone suffering electrocution? Similar statistics are reported from the business sector. 16% of workplace accidents involve electrocution and every year more than 158 workers are admitted to hospitals after being electrocuted while at work.
A majority of these happen during a power outage.
Power outages don’t last long. Most are over as soon as they begin. However, there are some that last longer and thus pose an imminent concern. When the power doesn’t come back for hours, most men feel the urge to poke their hands in electrical sockets without even knowing what they are looking for. Unless the cause of a power outage is known, everyone should try to remain as furthest away from any wiring to switchboards as possible.
Reasons Why You Should Call an Electrician during a Power Outage
When homeowners start messing with the electrical circuits and wiring, they are inviting a number of risks. The two most common include electrical shocks and fire. Both of these can be lethal for not just the individual but also everyone in the building or home.
Electrical Shocks
At any voltage range, electrical shocks can be deadly and thus, never be attended to without proper knowledge. Why calling an electrician is the best idea? It is because electricians have been trained to tackle different ranges of volts and shocks that arise from them. They understand better which appliances are more dangerous. They are taught all this for years during their training as electrical shocks are a matter of life and death. The first thing they will do is turn off the breaker so that all appliances remain voltage-free in case of sudden power back.
Fire Hazards
Fires can take less than a second to put the life of your family and employees in danger. It isn’t just the fire but the dispersion of harmful toxins and gases that accompany it. First-degree burns are very common when the reason for a power outage is faulty wiring. With so many different wires all twisted around, it is very difficult for any laymen to determine which one’s causing the problem. This is why an electrician must always be consulted at the earliest to see the problem at hand.
If one was to DIY everything in general, we wouldn’t need pilots, lawyers, and doctors. Similar to these, any task that poses life-threatening dangers must be left to those who are trained to handle them. Therefore, calling an electrician when one isn’t sure about the cause of a power outage is the best thing to do.