CONTRIBUTOR NEWS
ESFI Report is an e-newsletter for sponsors, contributors, and committee members distributed by the Electrical Safety Foundation International. Comments and questions should be directed to info@esfi.org.
ESFi Report - January 2007
Message from the President
It's hard to believe that 2006 is
now just a memory. The year saw ESFI's successful launch of several
new products, a redesign of our Web site that has exponentially
increased the number of people seeking information there, and
a resoundingly successful media effort that included a national
radio media tour and a multimedia news release that garnered more
than 68 million “opportunities to view.” We can also be proud
of several fundraising achievements, and look forward to future
successes. Just this week, ESFI submitted a $770,000 proposal
for a Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters
grant that would allow us to focus more attention on electrical
fire prevention. DHS is expected to announce awards by midyear.
None of this would have been possible without the support of our
board of directors, committees and other contributors. Please
don't hesitate to contact me if you identify other funding opportunities
that will help ESFI reduce electricity-related deaths, injuries
and property damage.
ESFI Want's You!
There are still some open seats on ESFI's
Workplace Safety and Home Safety committees. The committees advise
and assist ESFI staff with activities related to electrical safety
in the home and in the workplace.
If you or someone you know would be interested in joining one
of the committees, please contact Program Manager Lissa D. Hurwitz
at 703-264-5845 or lis_hurwitz@esfi.org.
New at ESFI:
Schneider Electric is co-branding 25,000 copies of ESFI's electrical panel labels — 17,000 in English and 8,000 in Spanish — to distribute to its employees early this year. Special thanks to Workplace Committee Chairman and Schneider North American Vice President, Safety, Real Estate and Environment Rich Widdowson for leading the charge in making this ESFI's largest co-branding effort to date.
Electrical Safety Tips:
Did you get electronic gifts for the
holidays? If so, be aware that some items draw more electricity
than others. If the addition of new electrical equipment is causing
fuses to fail or circuit breakers to trip, you may be overloading
your home's electrical system. Here are some tips to help keep
you safe from electric shock or circuit overload:
In the kitchen:
- Install GFCI outlets near any source of water.
- Plug any kitchen appliance that uses water, such as coffee
and espresso machines, blenders or juicers, ONLY into GFCI outlets.
- Freestanding microwave ovens should not share a circuit with any other electrical appliance.
In the living room:
- Large screen televisions can draw a lot of power. Give them
their own circuits
- If room lights dim when an electrical component, such as a
TV, is turned on, a circuit is probably overloaded. Either spread
the electrical load to more circuits or have additional circuits
installed by a licensed electrician.
- Leave air space around home entertainment components to avoid overheating, which could lead to an electrical fire.
In the bathroom:
- Plug all electrical appliances, such as hair dryers and curling
irons, into GFCIs.
- Never use electrical appliances near running or standing water.
- Whenever possible, purchase appliances with built-in GFCIs, especially if they will be plugged into standard outlets.
Please visit www.electrical-safety.org for more electrical safety information.