Did you know that, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), extension cords cause 3,300 household fires, 270 injuries, and 50 deaths per year? Misusing electrical equipment, or using damaged wiring and electrical components, can result in fires, serious accidents, injury, or even fatalities. What simple tools can keep everyday contact with electrical currents, wiring, and cords safe?
Rubber Grommets and Conduit
Preventing electrical hazards and fires depends on proper use and undamaged wiring. For instance, rubber grommets keep cords and cables away from jagged metal and sharp corners and edges. Grommets may be circular or oblong, and manufacturers offer a number of different rubber grommet sizes to best suit particular projects and tasks. Heavy-duty rubber grommets withstand high temperatures and pressures, and may even be used in automotive and industrial applications. Hard plastic materials and rubber may also be used to produce everyday furniture and desk grommets used in offices and in homes.
Conduit protects wires and sensitive circuits in professional settings and at home. Flexible or rigid piping surrounds wires shielding them from weathering, abrasion, chemical wearing, and corrosion. Metal conduit, also called electrical metal tubing, also protects circuits and electrical wiring from electromagnetic interference. Most will be used in conjunction with some form of conduit bushing, or soft materials to allow homeowners and workers to easily adjust and pull cables without snagging or fraying them on rough metal pieces.
Cable Ties
Cable ties prevent electrical fires and hazards by grouping and bunching wires and fastening them securely into place. Cable ties, also commonly referred to as hose ties and zip ties, can be made from stainless steel, steel, nylon, and other plastics. Stainless steel cable ties resist flames and extreme temperatures and are often used in manufacturing and automotive applications.
Electrical hazards happen every day, and in just about all environments. Simple tools, including grommets, conduit, and stainless steel cable ties, can keep Americans safe at home, around the office, and in a manufacturing or industrial setting.
