Power for Progress: Electric safety for the new semester

Power for Progress… A weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority

Many area students return to the classroom this week or in the coming week. As that happens, families across Oklahoma are also moving back into their “school” routines and bidding goodbye to summer days. However, before we all get too settled into our new schedules, it’s a great time to revisit some important electric safety tips, specifically related to this time of year.

So, whether your student is headed off to pre-K, junior high or moving into the college dorm room, the Grand River Dam Authority encourages you to keep these tips in mind as the new semester begins.

Setting up a new computer workstation for homework, or maybe organizing your electronics in the dorm room? Do NOT nail or staple extension cords to walls or baseboard. And if any cords are frayed or damaged, replace them.

If you need extension cords in the dorm room, remember to use only cords which have been approved by an independent testing laboratory. Also, make sure they have been properly rated for their intended use. Finally, don’t run them under rugs or through doorways.

Let your young students know to NEVER put a paperclip, a pencil, or any writing utensils of any kind into an electrical outlet.

For parents of younger students: Will your kids be walking to and from the bus stop or school? Make sure they know to stay clear of all high voltage electrical components along the route. Also, because Mother Nature or accidents can sometimes cause power lines to go down, make sure your children know to STAY AWAY from these lines. The ground around power lines can still be energized – up to 35 feet away. Also, NEVER touch or step in water near a downed power line.

Do you have a new driver in the family that will be driving back and forth from school for the first time this semester? Remind them to watch carefully for any utility crews at work along their route to school. And if they would happen to be in an accident involving power poles or power lines, they should ALWAYS assume the electric is live and use extreme caution.

Your friends at GRDA want you to stay safe and have a great school year!

GRDA is Oklahoma’s largest public power electric utility; fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes. Each day, GRDA strives to be an “Oklahoma agency of excellence” by focusing on the 5 E’s: electricity, economic development, environmental stewardship, employees and efficiency.