• Check all electrical fixtures to ensure that they bear the mark of a recongnized certification agency.
• The Electrical Safety Authority recommends the use of a licensed electrical contractor or electrician for electrical work in your home.

• Check all electrical outlets and switches to ensure that they bear the mark of a recognized certification agency.
• Caution: Outlets may be connected to two different circuits of your home’s electrical wiring system – test both outlets prior to proceeding with any electrical work.
• Outlets and switches must have proper cover plates that are in good condition to protect you and your family.
• Loose outlets and switches should be repaired.
• Outlets and switches that are warm to the touch, or hot, should be turned off immediately – and you should contact a licensed electrical contractor or electrician about this situation.
• Never force a plug into an outlet if it does not fit – and never remove the third prong from a plug to allow it to fit into an outlet.
• The Electrical Safety Authority recommends the use of a licensed electrical contractor or electrician for electrical work in your home.

• What they are: A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is an over current protection device designed to interrupt the electricity circuit to the load when a current to ground exceeds a predetermined value. GFCIs are designed to almost instantly sense an electrical ground fault and interrupt the protected circuit to stop the flow of electrical current before someone is hurt.
• In Ontario GFCIs are required for exterior outlets, bathroom outlets, and in new kitchen construction/renovation where kitchen counter receptacles/outlets are being installed within 1 meter of the edge of the kitchen sink.
• GFCIs should be tested monthly to ensure that they are in proper operating condition. To test your GFCI you should:
  • Push the “reset” button on the GFCI.
  • Plug in a light or small appliance (turn on).
  • Push the “test” button – the light or small appliance should turn off.
  • Push the “reset” button – the light or small appliance should turn on.

  If your GFCI does not function as outlined above you should contact a licensed electrical contractor or electrician to check and fix the GFCI.

• Electricity enters your home from the Local Distribution Company through the service entrance at the main switch. From the main switch, the panel board or fuse box splits power into circuits that distribute electricity throughout your home. Each circuit distributing power throughout your home is protected by a fuse or circuit breaker. Fuses and circuit breakers detect short circuits and overloading and will blow (fuse) or trip (circuit breaker).
• Modifications to your electrical panel should be done by a licensed electrical contractor or electrician and should be inspected by the Electrical Safety Authority.
• Fuses that regularly blow or circuit breakers that regularly trip should be checked by a licensed electrical contractor or electrician.
• Upgrades to your panel to increase service size (amperage) should be done by a licensed electrical contractor or electrician, and should be inspected by the Electrical Safety Authority.

• Fuses and circuit breakers are safety devices in your electrical panel that are designed to prevent overloading and potential fire hazards in your home. These devices protect against over current or overloading by stopping the flow of electricity when it exceeds safe levels for your home.
• Circuit breakers can be reset using hand controls after the problem has been eliminated.
• Fuses, once they blow, need to be replaced. It is important that you replace fuses with the proper size fuse. Also check to ensure that you are using the correct fuse. There are two types of fuses. Fuses identified with the letter “P” are recommended on all general circuits. Fuses identified with the letter “D” are time delay or dual element fuses and should only be used for large motorized appliances such as dryers, furnaces, refrigerators, freezers and window air conditioners. Fuses identified with the letter “D” should not be used on general lighting circuits.

Visit esasafe.com for more safety information.