The Hazards of Household Cords

Fires

• Frayed or worn electrical cords can lead to electrical fires. Regularly inspect cords for signs of damage or wear. Don't let pets chew on cords, don't run over cords with the vacuum cleaner and don't allow cords to become pinched behind doors. Don't overload circuits. If you use extension cords, make sure they're grounded and heavy-duty enough for the task. A light extension cord would work for a lamp, but not for a heater.

Tripping

• Household cords stretched across the floor can create a tripping hazard. The elderly and small children or anyone who's visibly impaired is most in danger, but anyone can trip over a cord in the middle of the night or if he's not watching where he's going. Keep cords out of traffic paths and never stretch them across doorways or hallways. Don't run cords under rugs.

Shock

• Keep cords away from water and wet surfaces. Don't use your blow dryer in the tub or your electric shaver in the shower. Don't use cords with bent prongs and only use cords that have three-pronged plugs. These plugs are grounded to help prevent electrical shock. In bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and anywhere else where there's a potential for water, your electrical outlets should be equipped with ground-fault circuit interrupters, or GFCI. This trips a breaker if you try to plug something in and the area is wet.

Choking

• Children and pets have been strangled by drapery and blinds cords. If you have these cords, shorten them or anchor them so they're out of reach of children and pets. Keep children's cribs and beds, along with pet kennels and cages, away from windows. The Window Covering Safety Council offers advice and resources about window covering safety on its website (see Resource section).