May is Electrical Safety Month and a good time to review electrical safety practices. Increasing electrical safety awareness, following electrical safety guidelines and using tools and technology designed to address electrical hazards are all components of a safety program.

What causes the top electrical hazards? Many are the result of the growing use of electrical power, combined with electrical systems that are over 20 years old. Wiring hazards are both a major cause of electrocutions and home fires, killing hundreds and injuring thousands each year. Misuse of surge suppressors, power strips and extension cords is also a cause of electrocutions and fires.

Contact with power lines and major appliances contribute to hundreds of deaths annually, both at home and in the workplace. Eliminating these electrical hazards will help reduce deaths and injuries.

Eliminating electrical hazards begins with education and awareness. A focus on electrical safety, both at home and in the workplace, can prevent the hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries and billions of dollars in economic losses that occur each year because of electrical hazards.

Use of tools and technology can also make our reliance on electrical power less hazardous. Investing in ground vault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs), circuit testers and where necessary, personal protective equipment (PPE), can significantly reduce risk.

Eliminate top safety threats to prevent electrical injuries

We recommend that taking the proper steps to eliminate the top electrical safety threats around the home can prevent thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths that needlessly occur each year.

The top electrical safety hazards include:

Electrical fires caused by aging wiring.

Misuse of surge suppressors and extension cords.

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Eliminate the top electrical safety threats around your home

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Former Rudd government minister Peter Garrett will front the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Scheme in Brisbane on Tuesday.

The minister spruiking the home insulation program promised to ring alarm bells if there was any risk of death from the program but did nothing after the first insulation installer died, an inquiry into the program has been told.

The allegation was made during cross-examination of the former Labor senator and minister assisting the prime minister for service delivery, Mark Arbib, during his appearance at the Royal Commission into the Home Insulation Scheme in Brisbane on Monday.

Four installers died during the program the first, Matthew Fuller, was electrocuted on October 14, 2009, less than four months after the main program started.

Former Labor senator Mark Arbib said he did not have decision-making authority in relation to the program. Photo: Andrew Meares

Mr Arbib, the first Rudd government minister to appear at the inquiry, had previously given a statement saying he did not have decision-making authority in relation to the program and was not involved in formulating the operational or technical detail a position he reiterated during his evidence to the inquiry.

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He told the inquiry that had he known there was any risk of injury and death to installers from electrocution he would have been spoken to the prime minister and Peter Garrett, and would have been "ringing alarm bells".

Under cross examination by Elizabeth Wilson, representing the family of Rueben Barnes, 16, who died in November 2009 installing insulation, Mr Arbib said the possibility of someone being electrocuted had never been raised to him.

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Royal commission into home insulation hears Mark Arbib 'did nothing' after first death

Former Labor senator Mark Arbib says he takes responsibility for "his role" in the Rudd government's failed home insulation scheme, but claims he was unaware of the inherent safety risks involved in the program.

Mr Arbib gave evidence on Monday at the royal commission investigating what advice the then-Labor federal government received about the $2.8 billion scheme and whether the deaths of four installers could have been avoided.

Queenslanders Matthew Fuller, Rueben Barnes, Mitchell Sweeney, and Marcus Wilson from NSW, lost their lives during the rollout of the stimulus scheme in 2009.

Michael Windsor, QC, who is representing insulation companies at the inquiry, asked Mr Arbib whether he was aware of what was in the roof cavity of his own home.

"Well, I haven't been up there ... I couldn't tell you," Mr Arbib replied.

"Did you know, prior to 2009, that wiring ran through roof spaces?" Mr Windsor asked.

"I don't think I did, no," Mr Arbib replied. "I have had no experience in terms of electrical wiring."

"But isn't it just common knowledge?" Mr Windsor said.

"I'm not sure how a roof is configured in terms of wiring," Mr Arbib replied.

Three of the four installers who died were electrocuted.

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Home insulation royal commission: Mark Arbib doesn't recall if safety concerns raised

Former Labor senator Mark Arbib says he takes responsibility for "his role" in the Rudd government's failed home insulation scheme, but claims he was unaware of the inherent safety risks involved in the program.

Mr Arbib gave evidence on Monday at the royal commission investigating what advice the then-Labor federal government received about the $2.8 billion scheme and whether the deaths of four installers could have been avoided.

Queenslanders Matthew Fuller, Rueben Barnes, Mitchell Sweeney, and Marcus Wilson from NSW, lost their lives during the rollout of the stimulus scheme in 2009.

Michael Windsor, QC, who is representing insulation companies at the inquiry, asked Mr Arbib whether he was aware of what was in the roof cavity of his own home.

"Well, I haven't been up there ... I couldn't tell you," Mr Arbib replied.

"Did you know, prior to 2009, that wiring ran through roof spaces?" Mr Windsor asked.

"I don't think I did, no," Mr Arbib replied. "I have had no experience in terms of electrical wiring."

"But isn't it just common knowledge?" Mr Windsor said.

"I'm not sure how a roof is configured in terms of wiring," Mr Arbib replied.

Three of the four installers who died were electrocuted.

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'I wasn't aware of safety worries'

EGELSTON TOWNSHIP, MI Six people were unharmed in a house fire in the 5300 block of Apple Avenue in Egelston Township in the early-morning hours of Thursday, May 8.

According to Egelston Township Fire Department Lt. Brenda Galore, three children were among those who escaped the blaze, which was caused by faulty wiring in a utility room.

The fire occurred nearly across the street from Egelston Township Fire Department's location at 5428 E. Apple Ave. Galore said Egelston Township Fire Department had the fire under control within 15 to 20 minutes. The home, however, is a total loss, she said.

"Right when we pulled out, we could see heavy flames and smoke," she said. "It was a full working fire when we arrived, but we had it under control pretty quickly."

Later Thursday morning, the family was being assisted by the American Red Cross, Galore said.

Brandon Champion covers arts and entertainment, business and weather for MLive Muskegon Chronicle. Email him at BCHAMPIO@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter.

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Egelston Township home destroyed by fire caused by faulty wiring; nobody injured

IT WAS ALL those 1990s town homes that seemed to go up overnight. The ones packed as tight as a box of Oreos. Puzzle pieces for parking garages.

Really? thought Sloan Ritchie.

At the time, he was a burned-out engineer in need of inspiration. (His girlfriend and now wife, Jennifer Karkar Ritchie, urged him onward. I said, Quit. Do what you love. I did the corporate thing. It was soulless, she says.)

And, inspired by all the low-quality houses, he did.

Long story short, today were sitting in the result of Sloans professional reinvention as a developer and contractor his familys bright, spacious home in Madison Park. A thoroughly modern house that heats and cools using no conventional furnace or air-conditioning, by its very definition a passive house. A place, 2,710 square feet, that they heated last winter using the clothes dryer.

Really.

In a move thats one part science project and one part five-year family plan (the couple have two young children), Sloan has built Seattles first certified passive house. It sits close to the water, a tall contemporary among homes stately and old. The groundbreaking project, so to speak, was a joint effort between his Cascade Built and NK Architects, Marie Ljubojevic lead designer.

Some of the things I like most about it have nothing to do with a passive house, he says. I love being near the water. I stand-up paddleboard; when you do that theres no cellphone.

But when winter rolls around I love not using a furnace.

The Ritchies home has many sustainable features: an ash tree on the property has been remade into stair treads, wall paneling and window sills; paint is no-VOC; floors are bamboo; the fireplace is bioethanol; cooktop is induction; native drought-tolerant plantings instead of thirsty lawn; composite exterior decking; wiring for solar power and plumbing for thermal water.

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Citys first certified passive house is also a fun family home

It is important to consult a reputable home inspector to check the home wiring before purchasing a house. Knob and tube type wiring and aluminum wiring are common in older homes, and both are considered substandard today. In fact, many insurance companies will refuse to insure homes with these types of wiring, and since banks require homeowner's insurance before extending mortgage loans that are conditional on the ability to obtain insurance, this is significant. Knowing what type of electrical system you're dealing with is crucial when trying to close a real estate transaction. Knowledge is power.

Commonly used in homes built in the early 1900s, knob and tube wiring derived its name from the ceramic knobs securing the wire and the ceramic tubes that pass through the wood framing. The primary main issue with this type of wiring is that the insulation surrounding the wiring can break down, creating a potential fire hazard. Aluminum wiring was common in the 1960s and 1970s and it now known to be a potential fire hazard due to arcing at the connectors, which causes overheating at switches and outlets or splices in the wire.

It can be very expensive to remove and replace both knob and tube wiring and aluminum wiring. If you think your potential future home may have substandard wiring, it's especially important to have inspected by a professional. In any case, it's always a good investment for buyers to keep their offer conditional on a home inspection.

Especially if you're a first time homebuyer, you need to be aware of how different systems in your home impact energy costs, contribute to home values, and require upkeep in the years ahead. An experienced realtor can point out some things to consider as you balance these concerns, but the blog posts below might be helpful as well:

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Home Wiring

Structured Wiring / Future Wiring a Smart Home - Wiring Overview This guide details what you need for Future Wiring a home, It is best to do this while the home is being built, but there are ways to do it after the fact. Much of the information in this guide will also apply if you are just running a wire or two. Even if you are not doing the work yourself, this guide may help you in deciding what you want done.

If you are building a home, future wiring can add thousands (if not tens of thousands) of dollars to the value of your home. If you are not doing the work yourself, then you could also end up paying this much to have it done professionally. Most builders will generally not allow you to do this kind of work while the home is under construction for safety, insurance, or theft reasons. Still, I've built two homes and I was able to get each builder to let me do the wire installation myself.

If your home does not have a basement then you will need to find some other central location to run the wires to. Ask the builder for suggestions, but it will most likely be the closet / utility room that holds the hot water heater and possibly the electrical box or the attic. All this will be covered when you consider your Wiring Plan.

Plan everything out before you begin. Decide what wires will be run where. You always want to run too much wire instead of too little. An unused wire costs little, but trying to run a new wire after the walls are up can take hours. Be sure to read the guide on what wires to run and the guide on wire types to help you plan. You may also want to check out some sample projects for ideas.

Once you have your plan, you need to estimate how much wire you will need. You can save a lot of money by purchasing over the internet. Check out the parts guide for a list of what you will need and where you can get it.

Once you have a plan and your parts you are ready to get started. This wiring guide has everything you need to know to run your wires. You could complete the wiring job and terminate all the connections at the same time, but unless the builder is giving you a lot of time to work on the home it is best to leave that work until after you move in. Much of the finishing work must be done after the drywall is hung and painted anyway. Waiting until after you move in also decreases the chance that your wiring will affect the home appraisal and your housing taxes. After you close on your home closing this finishing work guide will help you complete the wiring job.

After you finish your work, it is time to have the cable, satellite, phone, internet... companies come in and do their job. They will probably need to run a new wire from the street to your home. This wire should be run directly to your wiring panel in the basement and then routed through the house from there. Even if you are using a cable or DSL modem for internet access, the modem should be in the basement and then the network wires should distribute it through the home. See the wiring plan for more information.

If the builder will not let you run the wiring yourself, then ask about a future tube. A future tube is simply a 2" PVC pipe installed by the builder that is run from the basement to the attic. If you are running a wire from the basement to a first floor wall, you can just drill up through the basement ceiling and run the wire. If you need to run a wire from the basement to a second floor wall, you can run the wire through the future tube into the attic and then back down though the second floor wall. Without the future tube it is very difficult to get a wire from the basement to the second floor of your home. There is a special guide for Wiring Existing Homes.

If the builder does let you do your own wiring, they will give you a short window in which you can do the work and possibly with very little notice. Make sure you have all the materials you need ready to go at a moments notice. If you are ordering from the internet, then be sure to plan in advance. Depending on how much help you have and how much wiring you want to do, it could take 2 full days to do the wiring. Obviously you will do your wiring some point after framing, roofing, and siding is done but before drywall. This is when the plumbing, ductwork, electrical and other wiring and insulation will be installed. It is best if you do your work last, either right before or after insulation. That way you know your work wont interfere with the other trades. For example: if you run a cable wire across some studs in a wall, and the HVAC crew needs to run a vertical duct between two of those studs, then you better have left enough slack in your wires so that they can move your wires to make room for their duct.

You may end up working on your wiring while other contractors are in your home. Be friendly and try to stay out of their way and let them do their job. They usually don't like the homeowner being around when they are doing their work. There are also safety/liability issues with you working around them. Don't give them a reason to call the builder and get you kicked out. Don't ask to borrow their tools and definitely don't use their tools without asking. This includes using their ladders. Also make sure that your work isn't interfering with them. Don't leave wires lying around on the ground. Tie down your work as you go. Don't leave cleanup for the end.

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Structured Wiring / Future Wiring a Smart Home - Wiring ...

Electrical|New Construction text: Tim Carter

Are you still a non-believer in technology? I doubt it since you are reading this article! But there are folks like that out there. In fact, I talked to one yesterday. He thinks the Internet is a hoax of sorts and that there is going to be huge consolidation of this media form. He compared it to the early days of the railroad industry here in the United States. His points were well made, I must admit.

Evidently, there were lots of little railroads and lots of investor speculation in railroads over 125 to 150 years ago. Well, there was a big shake out and lots of railroads got gobbled up, and he said that investors lost lots of money. Well, we surely have consolidation happening now, but I feel that we are just beginning to scratch the surface. Investors lose money everyday. You just need to do your homework so you are one of the winners, not the losers!

Just What is Possible?

Installing structured wiring allows you to do all sorts of things. I found a list of possibilities at a very cool website - imagine being able to do the following:

These are just a few things you can do when you have great wiring in your home. Imagine what we will be able to do ten years from now!

The key to automation is the wiring that connects sensors and operating devices to those things that control them. Groups have been working for years to develop a standard for wiring and it is now available. Because technology changes rapidly, I expect the standard to change as well.

Wiring Tips

Home automation wiring is low voltage. This means that the actual wire is smaller and this means it is more tender than the regular high voltage wire your electrician installs. Home automation wiring needs to be installed carefully. It also needs to be installed at the right time.

If you are building a new home, the plumbing, heating and cooling, and the high voltage wiring should be totally complete before the low voltage wiring is installed. The home automation technicians know the damage that a plumber's torch can do to their cables! What's more, you should not install low voltage automation cable through the same holes that high voltage wires pass through. It is always best to drill new holes as far away from the high voltage wires as is practical.

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House Wiring | Ask the Builder

Nate Swanner

In the connected home space, the efforts typically revolve around security. Sure, you dont want anyone getting into your home unauthorized, but sometimes the real trouble lurks from within. Water damage and mold are two of the more troubling concerns for homeowners, but WallyHome is here to help.

A simple hub plugs into your ethernet port, which in turn uses your home to monitor itself. Their propriety system, named SNUPI ((Sensor Network Utilizing Powerline Infrastructure) usesthe wiring that run through your home to detect moisture, temperature, and humidity, which WallyHomehopeswilldetect costly issues before they arise.

The hub also uses the electrical wiring as a power source, which, asWallyHomesays, means the batteries in their sensors last 10+ years. In addition to the hub, nodes are placed throughout your home in various spots of concern like sinks, refrigerators, and other water-consumptive appliance or areas of concern. Best of all, you get notifications via an accompanying app or web interface if anything goes wrong.

Aside from alerting you to a flooding tragedy in your home, this has the makings of an early mold detection system. If a home becomes damaged by mold, sothe only recourse is to tear walls and other structural items out. A simple hub and a few strategically placed nodes are likely a better option that dealing with structural and health damage.

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WallyHome uses the wiring in your home to detect mold, water damage