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Electrical
Receptacle Outlets
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Electrical receptacle
outlets in walls and floors may present
shock and electrical fire hazards to
consumers. The U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission estimates that 3,900
injuries associated with electrical
receptacle outlets are treated in hospital
emergency rooms each year. Approximately a
third of these injuries occur when young
children insert metal objects, such as
hair pins and keys, into the outlet,
resulting in electric shock or burn
injuries to the hand or finger. CPSC also
estimates that electric receptacles are
involved in 5,300 fires annually which
claim 40 lives and injured 110 consumers.
Older homes may have receptacles which are
damaged or which, otherwise, may have
deteriorated over the years. In one case
of a damaged receptacle, a woman suffered
severe burns to her hand as she was
plugging in a floor lamp. Part of the
plastic faceplate of the outlet had broken
away, allowing the prongs of the plug to
bridge from the electrical contacts to the
grounded strap, resulting in intense
electrical arcing.
Outlets also deteriorate from repeated
use, from plugging-in and unplugging
appliances as is often done in kitchens
and bathrooms. As a result, when plugs fit
loosely into receptacles, especially the
two-prong ungrounded type, they may slip
partially or completely out of the
receptable
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the attached cord. Receptacles in this
condition may overheat and pose a serious
fire hazard; if covered by a curtain or
drape, the fire hazard is even greater.
Consumers should have a qualified person
replace deteriorated and damaged
receptacles and, at the same time, upgrade
their home electrical system to present
safety standards. The simplest and most
effective method to protect against
electrocution is through the installation
of ground- fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs)
(as shown in FIGURE 3). If you wish to
receive a copy of the Commission's fact
sheet on GFCls, send a postcard to
"Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters,
Washington, D.C. 20207," and a copy
will be sent promptly.
Another method of protection in the home
is to install 3-wire receptacles which
will accept either 2- or 3-prong plugs (as
shown in FIGURE 2). This method, however,
requires a grounding conductor which may
or may not be available in the outlet box.
The least acceptable method is installing
another 2-wire receptacle that requires
the use of an adapter for accepting 3-wire
plugs (as shown in FIGURE 1). Even thought
the tab on the adapter may be properly
connected to the cover-plate screw, the
grounding path may not be adequate to
protect against ground faults.
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Outlets with poor internal
contacts or loose wire terminals may
become overheated and emit sparks. Even a
receptacle with nothing plugged into it
may run hot if it is passing current
through to other outlets on the same
circuit. To prevent damage to receptacles,
appliances should be switched-off before
unplugging from a receptacle.
- Have a qualified electrician replace
damaged receptacles or those which
feel hot, emit smoke or sparks, those
with loose fiffing plugs or those
where plugged-in lamps flicker or fail
to light.
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- Do not unplug appliances by pulling
on the cord at an angle. The brittle
plastic face of the receptacle may
crack end break away, leaving live
parts of the receptacle exposed.
To protect young children, parents
should consider some precautions:
- Insert plastic safety caps into
unused outlets within reach of young
children.
- Be sure that plugs are inserted
completely into receptacles so that no
part of the prongs are exposed.
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