We use electricity every day at the workplace, at school, in hospitals and mostly at home. It forms an essential part of our infrastructure, and it is impossible to do without.
As a third world country, Kenya is still prone to blackouts and you can tell just how much we have become dependent on it by the loud moans and grunts incurred every time the lights go out.
Electricity accidents are still a possibility and they are the major cause of house fires across the country. Timothy Muasa who is an engineer at the Kenya Power and Lightning Company states that there are ways we can prevent this from happening to our homes, and enable us to use electricity safely.
Outlets which have loose fitting plugs or are broken can overheat and cause fire. One way to prevent this is to ensure that all outlets are checked regularly for faults and are covered just in case children can access them.
Replace all ripped and frayed power cords and wires around the home and avoid the behavior of running cables under carpets or furniture as people can easily trip over them and tear them from the wall thereby exposing a live current which may electrocute someone.
Do not overload sockets or extensions as this may also cause fire. This is a major problem in Kenya with people using one extension cord for all electrical appliances especially in the living room.
To avoid this, have extra wall sockets added to the room by a trained electrical engineer. Check your bulb wattage in every room in the house and replace any bulbs that have a higher wattage than the outlet provides.
Kenya usually works with 220 volts and any appliances that use more than this may overload the mains circuit breaker. Place any containers that contain water away from sockets and electrical cords.
If an appliance has come into contact with water you should ensure it dries completely before turning it on.
During a lightning storm, avoid using electrical appliances like irons, hair dryers, radios and computers and always have surge protectors installed.
These can be found in any electrical shop and supermarket. Observing these guidelines will greatly reduce the risk of an electrical fire breaking out in your home.