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Energy Safety

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Electricity powers our lives, but staying safe requires knowledge and awareness. Make electrical safety a priority and protect yourself, your family, and your community with these tips. 

Ag Safety    Power Outage Safety     Safety Talks with Children     Tree Planting Safety   Storm Safety

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Safe Electricity
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Safe Electricity is the award-winning, public awareness program of the Energy Education Council, which was established in 1952 on the campus of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Located in Springfield, Ill., Safe Electricity operates under University of Illinois Extension and is led by the EEC Board of Directors. Since the Safe Electricity® program was created in 2001, it has provided thousands of safety-minded resources to its more than 500 electric utility members to help save lives and reduce injuries.

Explore electrical safety resources about appliances, storms, youth programs, electric vehicles, and more.

Safe Electricity

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Arc and Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters: What's the Difference?
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Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter prevents electrical shock by detecting variations in current. Install these in areas where water and electricity are in close proximity. Test outlets with GFCIs monthly; if they don't work properly, consult your electrician.

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter prevents electrical fires caused by arc flash. These are installed by an electrician. An arc is an electrical discharge that can cause intense heat or light. If interrupts the circuit when it detects an arc or other abnormalities in the flow of electricity.

Tamper Resistant Outlet prevents shocks caused by tampering with an outlet. The protective shutters are designed to move when a plug is correctly inserted. These became part of the National Electrical Code in 2008. If your home does not have these, install childproof devices.

Farm Safety and Power Line Awareness

It was Cody Conrady’s next-to-last day as an assistant manager for an ag fertilizer company. They were shorthanded that day, so Cody jumped in his truck to get ahead of the sprayer. Once the sprayer was in place, he hopped out of the truck to fill the tank with fertilizer. He and his coworker...

Storms and Powerlines: A Dangerous Combination

Description: On a hot, summer day Stephen Wald, his two boys and their friend found themselves caught in a terrifying thunderstorm. They ended up only seconds away from being in an accident with an overhead power line brought down by the storm. They encourage you to check weather forecasts so...

Downed Power Line Safety: The Mary Gehrig Story

Seventeen-year-old Mary Gehrig was driving home from a friend’s house on a stormy June night. Around 25 minutes into her 30-minute drive, Gehrig turned onto the county road that would take her home. Although there was near-zero visibility due to the storm that turned much more severe than...

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