In addition to Building Safety Month, May is National Electrical Safety Month – an issue closely related to building safety.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is kicking off its annual effort to raise awareness of potential home electrical hazards and the importance of electrical safety. This year’s campaign features the launch of Electrical Safety Illustrated, a special edition publication that discusses timely electrical safety issues and equips consumers with the knowledge to protect their homes, families and communities from electrical hazards.

“Today, the average home has more television sets than people, and as our society becomes increasingly plugged in, it is important to understand that there are hazards associated with these heightened electrical demands,” said ESFI President Brett Brenner. “This year’s campaign features a collection of easily shareable safety resources that help the public understand how to identify and correct the electrical hazards that are commonly present in their homes.” 

As part of its National Electrical Safety Month celebration, ESFI and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) will be cohosting a live Twitter chat on Wednesday, May 14 at 2 p.m. Eastern to foster dialogue about important electrical safety issues. The public is encouraged to participate and ask their questions using the #nesmchat hashtag.

The topics addressed in Electrical Safety Illustrated include:

• Cracking the Code: Provides an overview of the National Electrical Code® (NEC) process and the importance of timely adoption.
• National Electrical Code® Facts and Figures: Provides interesting facts about the NEC.
• AFCI vs. GFCI: Breaks down the importance of arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) and ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) while highlighting the differences between them.
• Five Easy Steps: Provides instructions for testing AFCIs and GFCIs.
• Are You Safety Savvy?: A quiz to determine your electrical safety IQ.
• TRRs: 50 Cents to Protect a Child: Highlights the safety benefits of tamper resistant receptacle (TRR) technology.
• Deadly Deals: Counterfeits: Provides tips to help protect consumers from fires or injuries associated with counterfeit electrical products.
• Surge and Protect: Explains the technology behind and the importance of surge protection.
• The National Electrical Safety Month 2014 Electrical Safety Advocate Guide: Provides the resources necessary to raise awareness of electrically safe practices.

To complement its National Electrical Safety Month resources, ESFI will be sharing daily tips via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Rounding out ESFI’s National Electrical Safety Month offerings is a special promotion to provide free and discounted publications to help increase electrical safety awareness during the month. More information can be found on ESFI’s website.

Electrical safety awareness and education among consumers, families, employees and communities will help prevent electrical fires, injuries and fatalities. For ESFI’s complete collection of National Electrical Safety Month resources, visit www.esfi.org/NESM.