Safety
Everyday Electrical Safety Tips
- Never turn on an appliance when you’re on a wet floor or in the bathtub or shower.
- If something seems wrong with an appliance or tool, or it gives even the slightest shock, disconnect it.
- Have it repaired or discard it.
- Always disconnect small appliances and tools before cleaning them.
- To disconnect an appliance or tool, don’t pull the cord: instead, grasp the plug and pull it from the outlet.
- Don’t run extension cords under rugs or flooring. Be sure that the size of your extension cord is adequate for the tool or appliance.
- Never touch or approach downed power lines. Always assume that downed wires are energized. Call your local law enforcement office or KPUB immediately to report downed power lines.
- Keep ladders and other conductive objects away from electrical lines. If you don’t know whether an object is conductive— play it safe, and assume that it is.
- Don’t use electrical tools near water or in the rain. Keep antennas away from power lines.
- Don’t fly kites near electric wires. If kite string gets caught in power lines, leave it alone; don’t try to remove the string from the lines. Instead, call KPUB for assistance.
- If you plan to use an auxiliary generator during a temporary power outage, or at any time, notify us beforehand. Improper installation and use could damage equipment, and seriously injure you or a KPUB employee.
- Never climb a utility pole or a tree that is near electrical wires.
- Never enter a substation or fenced enclosure that surrounds electrical equipment. The fenced-off area is extremely dangerous. Keep ladders and other conductive objects away from electrical lines. If you don’t know whether an object is conductive – play it safe, and assume that it is.
- Don’t use electrical tools near water or in the rain. Keep antennas away from power lines.
- Don’t fly kites near electric wires. If kite string gets caught in power lines, leave it alone; don’t try to remove the string from the lines. Instead, call KPUB for assistance.
- If you plan to use an auxiliary generator during a temporary power outage, or at any time, notify us beforehand. Improper installation and use could damage equipment, and seriously injure you or a KPUB employee.
- Never climb a utility pole or a tree that is near electrical wires.
- Never enter a substation or fenced enclosure that surrounds electrical equipment. The fenced-off area is extremely dangerous.
Stay Safe—Call 8-1-1 Before You Dig
The current building trend is to bury utilities underground. Therefore, you must be cautious when digging on your property. Utilities, such as electric, gas, communications, water and sewer, may be buried on your property. Contact with these lines can lead to a serious injury—even death. Call Before You Dig is a free service that locates your underground utilities.
State Law Requires Notification
There is a state law in place that requires all persons, digging 16 inches or deeper, to call a notification center. The call must be at least 48 hours prior to digging.
Notification centers will then contact the utility companies, who will then go out and mark the underground utilities. In Texas, you can call the DIGTESS notification center at 8-1-1 or visit their website at digtess.com.
If You Hit a Utility Line When Digging
- Discontinue excavation and call 8-1-1 immediately to report the hit.
- If the hit results in a power outage, call 830.257.2883 to report it.
How Shock Happens
Your Service Panel
- Unplug appliances
- Switch off power at the main switch
- Consult a licensed electrician
- If you have circuit breakers instead, switch the one that’s “off” to “on”
- Restore power
- Never put a penny or aluminum foil in a fuse box to replace a fuse as this could cause a fire.