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May is National Electric Safety Month
electric safety month

Rapid City, S.D.–May 6, 2020 - May is National Electrical Safety Month, with many people spending increased time at home due to COVID-19, Black Hills Energy wants to remind customers of some important safety tips to use inside the house and in nearby areas.

“Many electric hazards can be prevented by understanding basic electrical safety practices and taking simple precautions,” said Marc Eyre, vice president of operations at Black Hills Energy-South Dakota. “While electrical safety should be a year-round priority, National Electrical Safety Month is a great opportunity to enforce critical safety measures to help prevent electrical hazards and related injuries."

Here are some key tips for indoor and outdoor electrical safety:

  • Power cords - Check all electrical cords, including those outside. Are they frayed? Broken? Properly grounded? Replace, if necessary.
  • Appliance safety - Keep appliances such as hair dryers away from bathtubs, puddles, sinks and wet hands. Wet skin increases the risk of shock.
  • Use GFCIs for extra protection - Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters help prevent shocks or fires in wet or damp areas. They are required by building codes for bathrooms, garages, utility rooms and outdoors.
  • Stay away from downed power lines – always assume a downed or low-hanging power line is energized and stay far away. If you see a downed power line, clear the area immediately and call 911 or Black Hills Energy at 888-890-5554.
  • Call before you dig - whether you’re a homeowner planting a tree or a contractor excavating a subdivision, you must call 811 before you dig. It’s free, it’s safe and it’s the law. Call 811 at least two business days before you want to dig. A locator will come to your location and identify underground lines for you.
  • Don’t play near substations - stay away from electric substations and transformers. You will immediately identify them, as they have electric hazard signs and are fenced in or have locked doors to keep you away. If you find electric equipment that is not locked or see someone near a substation who is not a Black Hills Energy employee, please contact us at 888-890-5554.

“Our goal is to be the safest energy company in the country,” Eyre said. “Safety is not only a core value, but our number one priority for our employees, customers, and the communities we serve. May is a perfect time, as the weather turns and we are spending more time outside completing projects around the house, to remember and practice electrical safety.”

For more information about how you can stay safe around indoor or outdoor electric equipment, visit www.blackhillsenergy.com\safety