Indoors

• Keep appliances away from water and always make sure your hands are dry when using them.

• Make sure outlets near water sources have Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) to shut off power in time to prevent serious injury. GFCIs should be used in bathrooms, garages, near kitchen sinks and outdoors. If your outlet has red and black "test" and "reset" buttons, it has a GFCI.

• Repair or replace an appliance if the cord is frayed.

• Childproof outlets.

• Never exceed the extension cords' load rating.

• Use three-pronged plugs only in three-pronged outlets. Never remove a prong from three-pronged plugs.

Outdoors

• Pay attention to the location of all overhead power lines. Make sure to check for power lines in or near trees before pruning branches. Be careful using tree trimming equipment, ladders, pool skimmers and any other tool used above your head when working near power lines. Never try to remove a branch that is tangled or lying across a power line. Instead, call us at (800) 808-BVES (2837).

• Ensure children stay away from any trees that may have grown into a power line as they could be energized and dangerous.

• Remember to "call before you dig" when putting in fence posts, planting trees, installing sprinkler systems or excavating for new construction. Contacting underground power lines can be dangerous. Call 811 at least 48 hours before you dig to have lines marked for free.

• Use electric power tools only in dry weather.

• Never sit on, play on, dig near or pry open pad-mounted transformers (four-foot-tall, green, metal boxes most often found in neighborhoods and parks). If you find one that has been unlocked or damaged, call us immediately at 1-(800) 808-BVES (2837).

• In winter, remember to watch for power lines while snowmobiling.

• Do not spray water on power lines, equipment or structures. A stream of water hitting a power line can create a path for electricity.

For information on line clearance requirements, please review the information in General Order 95 from the CPUC.

Safety For Children

Please remind children to:

• Never climb power poles, transmission towers or substation fences. If a tree is near a power line, do not build forts or climb in it.

• Fly kites far away from power lines – if a kite does get caught in a power line, release the string at once.

• Never enter a substation to retrieve toys. The equipment is dangerous.

Downed Power Lines

• If you spot a power line down, keep everyone out of the area and call 911 and BVES, Inc. at 1-(800) 808-BVES (2837). Never try to move a downed line. Always assume a downed line is energized and dangerous. Touching a live line or anything near it – like a fence or a puddle – can cause electricity to flow through your body, resulting in serious injury or death. Stay safe and stay away.

• If an electric line falls on your car and you're inside it, stay inside until help arrives. You are safe from electrical shock as long as you're inside the vehicle. If you must escape due to a car fire, leap from the open vehicle with both feet together, (and continue to hop away with both feet together) taking care not to touch the car once you've made contact with the ground. Warn others to stay clear of the vehicle until BVES, Inc. officials arrive.

Holiday Safety

• Take care when decorating with holiday lights. Only use safety-tested lights that carry the "UL" label.

• Do not use indoor lights outdoors.

• Turn off light displays before leaving home or going to bed.

• Inspect and make sure decorative lights have no frayed wires, cracked sockets or connections that may cause a fire or electrical injury.

• Do not overload electrical outlets with holiday lights.