Safety Tips

Electricity and water don’t mix. Keep anything electrically powered away from water and keep appliances away from sinks. Most accidents around the house happen when people use electricity near water.

Don’t go near downed lines; don’t assume a line is de-energized (or dead) just because it’s down. Don’t pick up or touch a downed line. When it comes to downed power lines, just don’t.

Contact with overhead power lines is the most common type of electrocution. Always be aware of your surroundings, especially when working outside. Know where the power lines are located and make sure any object you’re holding won’t get close to or touch an overhead line

The wires leading to your home, also known as service entrance wires, are off limits. Typically, these wires have thick black coating that some people mistake for insulation. These wires are not insulated and will not keep you safe, so do not go near them. If you need to perform work around these lines, such as cleaning gutters or working on your roof, Alabama Power can temporarily disconnect the service for free so you can work safely. Call us at 1-800-245-2244 to set up an appointment.

Recognize the danger of  buried utility lines. If you need to dig or break ground for any reason, even for something simple like planting bushes or installing a mailbox, have all underground utilities marked first. Call 811 at least three business days before your project, and utility employees will mark all underground lines for you at no charge.

Teach your kids about electrical safety. They should know electric appliances, cords and outlets are not toys and should be left alone. Take extra steps to keep children safe: cover all electrical outlets and make sure cords are in good shape and not damaged or frayed.

Visit Electric Academy and our Learn with Louie resources to engage kids about Electrical Safety with interactive materials, games and more.

Don’t climb on or play near electrical equipment. And tell your kids: don’t go in substations, don’t sit on underground transformers, don’t swing on guy wires and don’t run into power poles. Stay away from this equipment because it is energized or it could become energized.

Don’t fly kites or balloons near power lines. Instead, choose an open area away from potential dangers. Kites can become tangled in a power line, creating a path to ground through you. If your kite were to become tangled in a power line, don’t try and get it down, just let it go. Kites and balloons can be replaced – you cannot.

When using a portable generator, always use in an open, well-ventilated area. A garage is not a well ventilated area. Plug individual appliances into the generator using a heavy-duty outdoor-related cords adequate for the appliance load. Never wire a portable generator directly to your home’s electric service panel or connect it to a circuit through a regular household outlet. Plugging a generator into a regular household outlet can energize “dead” power lines and seriously injure someone. 

If someone or a pet comes in contact with electricity, call 911 immediately. Stay away and tell others to stay away, too.