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Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a tragedy to remind us to make sure the homes we live and sleep in are as safe as humanly possible. We understand that our faith is in the hands of the Rebono Shel Olam. However, halachicly, are we permitted to tempt faith by neglecting the safety of our homes?

We must be on guard to make our homes safe, as well as our workplaces, our shuls, and yeshivas and schools – to prevent harm to ourselves, loved ones, friends and fellow human beings. There are many situations that can cause bodily harm, such as falls, falling objects, explosions, cuts, burns, drownings, electric shocks and so much more. Here we will concentrate on electrical fires.

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One must understand that the electric power that we use every day, whether it comes from a wall socket or a battery, can cause a fire. This is true whether it is from a simple flashlight, a radio, or a lamp. It is not a very common occurrence, but often enough that far too many people are injured and many do die from such fires.

What can we do to reduce the risk of electrical fires?

When the two terminals of a battery are connected together with metal, usually unintentionally, a high current path is created that will cause the battery to get very hot and possibly explode and cause a fire. This current path is created very simply by having some metal, be it a coin, a metal box, a key, etc., connect the two battery terminals together. Even putting a bunch of batteries jumbled together in your pocket or a metal box can be dangerous, especially button batteries – the kind found in watches – and the 9 volt batteries with both terminals on the top. When storing batteries, make sure that the terminals are not touching each other or stored in metal containers unless each battery is stored in its wrapper.

When using an extension cord always make sure to use the correct rated extension cord. For example, if you have two appliances whose power ratings (shown on their labels) are 600 watts and 800 watts, respectively, and you want to connect the two appliances to the extension cord, you’ll need an extension cord rated for 15 amps. You calculate that by finding the total power you need; in this case 800 watts plus 600 watts totaling 1,400 watts. You then divide the power total by 120 (120 is the voltage at the wall socket; in Israel, the voltage at the wall socket is 220 volts, and so in Israel you would divide the total by 220). This equals about 12 amps. Use a higher rated available extension cord. In this example, we would use one with a 15 amp rating. Make sure the extension cord or the line cord attached to the appliance is not dried out, frayed, cracked or has any exposed metal – usually copper – showing.

Power plugs that you plug into a wall socket (or electrical outlet) must never be hot to the touch. Never! The connection needs to be firm and not at all loose or wobbly. Loose connections cause resistance in that part of the circuit which can cause heat hot enough at times to ignite the wire insulation or a nearby curtain or wood panel. This phenomenon is similar to the resistance found in the filament of a bulb that causes it to glow white hot.

If you have proper wiring and the correct rated plugs and the correctly rated electric cord – especially at the plug end – the plug will barely get warm even when using a high powered appliance. If the plug at the wall feels very warm, that is an indication of a poor wiring connection and must be looked at by a professional immediately. Remove the plug from the receptacle in the meantime.

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Jerry Greenwald worked as an electrical engineer for 10 years before joining The Jewish Press.