Safety Tips - The Kuppam Rural Electric Co-Op Society Ltd.

Domestic Consumers
Do's	Dont's
Use standard pins to tap supply from plug points.	Avoid tapping of supply by inserting bare wires.
Always use wires / cables / switches with ISI marks and of approved quality.	Don’t use lamp brackets to tie wires or ropes to dry clothes.
Used bulbs should be replaced only after the switch is off.	Changing the fused bulbs when the switch is on is dangerous.
Keep all lamp holders with lamp.	Don't keep the lamp holders without lamp.
Always use properly earthed 3 in plugs to connect refrigerators, wet grinders, mixies, washing machine, iron boxes and geysers etc.	Don't purchase sub-standard electrical fittings to save money which may result in serious accidents.
Always buy/use electrical appliances / equipments with ISI mark and strictly follow the instruction manual.	Don't connect mixies, refrigerators, wet grinders, washing machines, iron boxes and geysers through unearthed plug pins which may cause serious accidents.
Use the appropriate MCB to limit the load	Don’t tie an electric switch or appliance when your hands are wet or bleeding from a cut.
Install an ELCB / RCCB to avoid fatal shock	Do not lay the under ground cables and garden lighting/gate lighting cables openly. Always lay them in Hume pipes and clearly mark the cable route.
Always provide appropriate rated fuse.	Do not use 2 pin plug and socket.
Always ensure that the plug / socket is not within the reach of children.	Do not use broken switches, plugs and sockets.
Frequently water the earth electrode to maintain the least soil resistivity.	Do not combine the neutral and body earth leads. Always have separate and distinct neutral wire and body earth.
Periodically check the earth resistance and the earth lead for its earth continuity.	Do not use water heater, geysers, electric iron etc., without earthing connection.
Seek expert's advice from an electrical engineer for safe design and location of electrical equipments.	Do not allow lay man to handle the electrical system and appliances.
Get the electrical work done only by a Govt. Licensed electrical contractor.	Do not operate the electric equipment / switches with wet hand.
Always get certified electrician for repair and checking.	Do not use open heating coil for heating water.
Use rubber gloves when working on electrical equipments.	Do not use open wires / joint wires for appliances.
Use rubber mats while working on electrical appliances.	Do not extend loose wiring / open wiring from junction points / plug points.
Use fully insulated tools while handling electric wires and equipment.	Do not over load a plug.
Cover bare portion of electrical connections with a good quality insulation.	Do not over load an electric system by additional or unauthorized load.
Always ensure that a matching plug and socket is used to avoid loose contact and consequent heating and melting.	Do not touch a person who is in contact with the electric supply, with bare hands.
Clean the contact surface of the plug and socket of the electrical heater. Replace the socket every 2 to 3 years.	Do not climb electric poles / transmission towers.
Report electrical accidents to RESCO, Police and Electrical Inspector.	Do not lean on electric poles.
Report slanting poles, inadequate ground clearance etc. to the RESCO.	Do not handle guy wire.
Stay away from snapped electric wires & report to the RESCO immediately.	Do not build house / extension of houses underneath overhead lines / in the proximity of lines.
Report the leakage of current in the installation to the concerned RESCO office.	Do not have balconies / windows towards bare power line.
Always use simmerstat and thermostat for heater and boiler respectively.	Do not cut trees / branches near over head lines without obtaining permission from RESCO. Do not grow trees underneath the overhead lines.
Always switch off the supply when some repair work is to be done.	Do not use G.I wire to electric poles for drying clothes.
Periodically cleaning of and greasting the appliances like fan etc. can be done by the consumer, only after detaching the appliance from the main supply or switching off the main supply.	Do not carry appliances like fan, heater, iron etc. from place to place, when it remains connected to the 'ON' supply. The strain, on the trailing wires, would disconnect one of the wires in the plug, which would prove hazardous.
Ensure separate earth electrode for the installation and the meter.	Do not carry long metallic pipes / objects underneath overhead lines.
----	Do not fly kites nearby overhead lines.
----	Do not touch snapped electrical wire.
----	Do not effect a patch up in the broken filament and re-use the bulb. This leads to local heating of glass bulb and is liable to explode.
----	Do not use wires, having too many joints, while connecting electrical appliance to the supply through a plug. In case of pukka wiring insist on 'Looping' system.
----	Do not use bits of clothing for wire joints, use a good insulation tape.
----	Do not tie animals to electric poles.
----	Do not trail loose wires along a wet floor.
----	Do not depend on the switch provided in the body of appliances but provide a separate switch control for the plug.
----	Do not leave an electric iron 'SWITCHED ON' after the iron gets sufficiently hot. (Iron without thermostat)
----	Do not bake 'Pappads' on an electric heater. The fingers may come in contact with live wires of the heater as this would be hazardous.
----	Do not forget to switch off the supply, before removing a vessel from the heater. Switch on the supply, after keeping the vessel on the heater.
----	Do not stack rice, cotton bags, or hay, high enough to rub against wired portions of your installations. This practice leads to the deterioration of insulation due to constant abrasions.
----	Do not meddle with a Radio / TV, when the set is 'ON'. If cleaning is to be done, disconnect the equipment from the supply.
----	Do not stand very close to a bulb and ask a third person to switch ON the supply.
----	Do not allow children to twiddle the controls of electrical appliances or otherwise meddle with electrical appliances.

Do not touch any snapped conductor	Work after switching off the mains
Do not tie wires to electric poles for drying cloths	Do not tie cows to electric poles
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Commercial Consumers
Do's	Dont's
All wiring works should be done through licensed wiring contractors.	Don't travel on vehicles laden with goods beyond the permissible height. This may cause fatal accidents due to contact with overhead electrical wires.
Don’t tie advertisements boards, flags etc. to electric posts.	Do not draw wires/cables for the full cross-section of the conduits. Always use only 50% of the cross-section.
----	Do not bring water pipes and electric conduits in the proximity of each other.

Do not electrify fences	Do not fly kites near electric lines
Do not take overloading vehicles beneath electric lines	Do not construct building beneath electric lines
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Industrial Consumers
Do's	Dont's
Place men working sign boards on all switches before commencing work.	Don't close any switches unless you are familiar with the circuit, which controls and unless you know the reason for its being kept open.
Ensure that all the controlling switches are opened and locked or the fuse withdrawn before working on any circuit or apparatus.	Don't touch or tamper with any electrical gear or conductor, unless you have made sure it is dead and earthed. High voltage apparatus may give leakage shock or flash over even without touching.
Treat circuit as alive until they are proved to be dead.	Don't test a circuit with bare fingers or hand or other make shift devices to determine whether or not it is alive.
Turn away your face whenever an arc or a flash is expected	Don't close or open a switch or fuse slowly or hesitatingly. Do it quickly, positively and firmly.
Please see that all splices and connections are securely made.	Don't use wires with poor and deteriorated insulations.
Thoroughly discharge to earth all the cables before working the cores.	Don't be haste and careless. This may cause many accidents.
Do test rubber gloves periodically.	Don't throw water on live electric equipments in case of fire.
Do place rubber mats in front of electrical switchboards.	Don't use fire extinguishers on electrical equipment unless it is clearly marked as suitable for that purpose.
Make sure that all employees are familiar with the location and the use of fire fighting apparatus.	Don't work on a pole or elevated position when line is alive, without safety belt and rubber gloves and unless a competent person stands on the ground nearby to direct operations and give warnings.
Make sure, when using fire hose that the jet of water breaks into a fine contact with live electrical apparatus.	Don't use a ladder without a lashing rope. Alternatively, the ladder should be held firmly by another person.
Put a 'HOLD' board for the point of isolation or remove the carriers of the fuse while working.	Do not energize any fence by electricity. Energizing fence by electricity is an offence under section 39 of Indian Electricity act 1910.

The neutral in the change over switch between private generator and Kuppam RESCO Supply should have isolating facility