5) Power Tools – Tools account for about 10 percent of consumer electrocutions, most of them from contact with wires while using them. As with appliances, frayed wires and damaged power cords are largely responsible. It’s wise to inspect your power cords and the tool connections each time before you plug in and begin working with them. If you touch the damaged cord while the tool is plugged in, you will conduct the electricity into your body, often with fatal results. Hazards may come from frayed or damaged power cords. If a cord is damaged, don't use the tool until the damage is repaired. You can electrocute yourself by grabbing the damaged portion of a cord while the tool is plugged in. It’s also wise to avoid using power tools when you are in a wet area, avoid drilling into a wall section without knowing what is behind the wall, and be careful when using a power tool to cut down branches or hedges in an outdoor area. If you cut through the cord while using the tool, there could be dire consequences.
6) Light fixtures – The National Fire Protection Association reports that lighting equipment accounts for 9 percent of electrocution deaths and 28 percent of fires. Installing new fixtures is not a job for amateurs -- hire an electrician. If you must do it yourself, it is always a smart idea to double and triple check that the power is turned off before you begin work. Even if a light bulb breaks, you need to be cautious about removing the broken bulb. Make sure the power is turned off, because even without a light bulb, electricity flows in the fixture.
Avoiding electrocution is easy if you follow the rules and take extreme caution when near a potential source of electricity. Most accidents happen because of reckless or careless behavior.