As floods become an increasing part of Australian life, it’s crucial homeowners and business owners know the flood safety precautions for generators and electricity.
Here are five essential things to remember:
1. Every electrical item is a potential danger
During or after a flood, treat every electrical item or appliance with extreme caution – appliances, chargers, power lines, wires, plug sockets…everything.
2. Contact your electricity supplier ASAP
In some cases, people are given ample warning before flood waters hit, enabling you to contact your electricity supplier and safely disconnect your electricity supply. After the flood, when the waters have receded, get a licensed electrician to inspect your property before you contact your supplier to restore power.
If you left your property, don’t re-enter without first ensuring the electrical wiring has been shut off or disconnected.
3. Turn it off
There will be times when you don’t have enough warning to disconnect the power supply. Or you might be unsure. If this is the case, simply turn off all the switches and mains as soon as you safely can.
4. Move appliances higher
Raise smaller electrical appliances to higher ground before the flood waters hit. For larger, heavier items this simply won’t be possible, so be sure to turn them off and unplug them instead.
5. Stay Generator safe
A power generator is a reliable and convenient way to get back-up electricity in a storm situation. However, it’s crucial you always refer to the manufacturer’s instruction for use and take extreme care. Follow the basic generator safety rules: don’t overload the generator, always turn off the generator when re-fuelling, and only operate the generator outdoors in a well-ventilated area. Also worthy of note is that some trade and backup generators have optional safety features such a protective waterproof outlets that you can look for in the product specs/additional accessories.
For more information on safe generator use, visit our Learning Centre.
