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Take the Carolina Country electrical safety test and see how well you score. It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s important.

1. What does the third prong on a 3-prong plug do?
   A. Provides a path to ground for electricity that may stray from an appliance or product.
   B. Provides extra power for equipment requiring high wattage.
   C. Helps to hold the plug firmly in the outlet.
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2. If a fuse blows or circuit breaker trips, the first thing you should do is:
   A. Call your electric cooperative.
   B. Determine what caused the fuse to blow or the breaker to trip.
   C. Replace the fuse or re-set the breaker.
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3. In order not to overload your household circuits, you should know the capacity of the circuits. How can you determine the capacity?
   A. Look at your electric bill.
   B. Check the meter outside your house.
   C. Open your breaker box or fuse box.
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4. You should have your household wiring inspected if:
   A. Your house is more than 40 years old.
   B. Your house is more than 10 years old and you have made major renovations or added new major appliances.
   C. You buy a house that has been previously occupied.
   D. All of the above.
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5. True or False: It’s OK to use black electrical tape to repair a frayed power cord, or to splice a power cord, as long as you cover all exposed wire.
   Answer
   
   
6. What is the purpose of a polarized plug
   (it has one prong wider than the other)?
   A. It ensures that the plug is correctly inserted in a socket.
   B. It indicates the positive and negative sides of the plug.
   C. It permits sending and receiving
   digital signals.
   Answer
   
   
7. True or false: To keep an extension cord off the floor, it’s best to run it along a baseboard or wall and tack it in place.
   Answer
   
   
8. True or false: It’s OK to leave an extension cord permanently in place as long as it is in plain view and out of the way of foot traffic.
   Answer
   
   
9. What are GFCIs?
   A. Ground fault circuit interrupters.
   B. General formula cellular ions.
   C. Gel-filled cylinder insulators.
   Answer
   
   
10. If you have a lot of electronic devices and appliances at work in one area of your house, which is the best way to power them:
    A. Connect them all to a power strip with a surge suppressor.
    B. Add wall outlets.
    C. Plug in only the one you intend to use.
    Answer
    
    
11. A lamp’s or light fixture’s recommended bulb wattage means:
    A. It’s OK to use a bulb of that wattage or lower.
    B. It’s OK to use a bulb of that wattage or higher.
    C. You must use a bulb of that wattage only.
    Answer
    
    
12. After using a portable generator during an emergency, the safe and correct way to shut it off is to:
    A. Shut down the generator, then turn off the appliances that were powered by it.
    B. Turn off all appliances powered by the generator before shutting down the generator.
    Answer
    
    
13. True or False: If an appliance that is switched off but still plugged in falls into water, do not reach in and pull it out.
    Answer
    
    
14. If you see a downed power line or low-hanging power line, you should:
    A. Move it out of the way and call your local electric cooperative.
    B. Stay clear and call the electric cooperative immediately.
    C. Don’t worry about it, because your cooperative already knows about it.
    Answer
    
    
15. True or False: It’s OK to store flammable materials near electrical equipment such as wall switches or power equipment because they don’t cause sparks.
    Answer
    
    
16. True or False: It is safe to climb a tree located near a power line as long as the limbs aren’t touching the line.
    Answer
    
    
17. True or False: It is safe to touch a power line with a pole, as long as the pole is made of plastic.
    Answer
    
    
18. True or False: Using a telephone during a lightning storm is dangerous.
    Answer

Answers

1. A. The third prong provides a path to ground to protect the equipment and user from electric shock. You should never remove the third prong in an attempt to use a 2-prong outlet. Use an adapter or replace the outlet.
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2. B. Determine what caused the fuse to blow or the breaker to trip before replacing or resetting. If you can’t find out, call an electrician.
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3. C. Your breaker box or fuse box should contain a diagram showing the amp capacity for each circuit. Make sure the combined amp rating of your electrical equipment does not exceed the circuit’s capacity.
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4. D. All of the above. Your city or county electrical inspector performs the inspection if you’ve made renovations, otherwise a licensed electrician can perform the inspection.
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5. False. The black tape—usually vinyl—is not rated to handle the heat generated by electricity running through wires. It will melt and burn.
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6. A. The different-sized prongs help set the plug firmly into the outlet to allow proper flow of current and reduce risk of shock.
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7. False: Never put a tack, staple or nail into an extension cord or power cord. It will expose bare wire and cause a shock or short.
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8. False: Extension cords are temporary solutions only and not safe as a substitute for home wiring. They tend to wear out and could overheat and cause a fire. After using one, unplug it and store it.
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9. A. Ground fault circuit interrupters are installed on electric wiring at wall outlets. They protect against accidental electric shock or electrocution by acting immediately to shut off the circuit if they sense a ground fault, or “leak” of current off the circuit. They have been in American homes since the 1970s on circuits that are located in areas that can get wet. The outlet receptacles have a test button (which breaks the circuit), and a reset button (to re-open the circuit). Sometimes a major electrical storm can affect GFCIs and you may have to reset them.
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10. B. Heavy reliance on power strips means you have too few outlets for your purposes. Have additional wall outlets installed where you need them.
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11. A. It’s OK to use bulbs equal to or lower than the recommended wattage.
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12. B. To avoid a power surge to your household circuits, always turn off all appliances powered by the generator before shutting down the generator.
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13. True. Electric current remains in the power cord, and water conducts electricity that can cause severe shock. The best thing to do is turn off the power to the circuit at the breaker box.
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14. B. If you see a downed power line or a low-hanging one, you should stay clear and call your electric cooperative immediately.
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15. False. It is unsafe to store flammable materials near any electrical equipment, because a spark could jump unexpectedly.
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16. False. It is not safe to climb a tree located near a power line at any time. Tree limbs can move into contact with power lines at any time and could conduct enough current to cause
    electrocution.
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17. False. It is not safe to touch a power line with any pole. The same goes for an antenna or other object.
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18. True. Lightning can strike telephone and electrical wires and travel into your house, through your phone cord, into your telephone and into the handset. Cordless phones are not dangerous because there is no physical connection to the wires. But you should not use your cordless phone during an electrical storm to call your neighbor who may not have a cordless phone.
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