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University of Tennessee Extension Cord Safety Guidelines

The document provides guidelines for safe extension cord use at the University of Tennessee. It states that extension cords must be approved, properly maintained, and of sufficient gauge to safely power connected devices. Improper use, such as using damaged, knotted, or undersized cords, can lead to electrical hazards and fire risks. The guidelines recommend using GFCI protection for cords in damp areas and avoiding daisy chaining or using cords as permanent wiring.

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Raymund Watson
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68 views4 pages

University of Tennessee Extension Cord Safety Guidelines

The document provides guidelines for safe extension cord use at the University of Tennessee. It states that extension cords must be approved, properly maintained, and of sufficient gauge to safely power connected devices. Improper use, such as using damaged, knotted, or undersized cords, can lead to electrical hazards and fire risks. The guidelines recommend using GFCI protection for cords in damp areas and avoiding daisy chaining or using cords as permanent wiring.

Uploaded by

Raymund Watson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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University of Tennessee Extension Cord Safety Guidelines

Extension cords provide a convenient method of bringing AC power to a device that is not located near a power source. They are also used as temporary power sources. As such, extension cords are heavily used. They are also often involved in electrical code and safety violations. Improper use of extension cords can lead to shock hazards. In addition, use of an undersized extension cord results in an overheated cord and insufficient voltage delivered to the device, thus causing device or cord failure and a fire hazard. Extension cords must be approved (by Underwriter Laboratories or another NRTL) and properly maintained with no exposed live parts, exposed ungrounded metal parts, damage, or splices. Extension cords must be made of a heavy-duty or extra-heavy-duty rated cable and must be a continuous length. A spliced cord is never permitted. Around construction sites, in damp areas, or in an area where a person may be in direct contact with a solidly grounded conductive object such as working in a wash bay, extension cords must be protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). The GFCI can consist of a special circuit breaker, a GFCI outlet, or an extension cord with a built-in GFCI. Extension cords should be of sufficient current-carrying capacity to power the device. An undersized cord is a fire hazard. Extension cords must be three-conductor (grounded) even if the device has a two-conductor cord. Never use two-conductor extension cords at UT. (Equipment grounding conductors that are part of flexible cords or used with fixture wires shall not be smaller than 18 AWG copper and not smaller than the circuit conductors.) Cord repair is not encouraged. In the event it becomes necessary; only qualified personnel may make repairs of extension cords.

There are very few acceptable combinations of extension cords and devices. Some acceptable combinations are: Extension cord to device (electrical equipment) Power strip to device Surge protector (with cord) to device Direct surge protector to extension cord to device Direct surge protector to power strip to device For examples of acceptable and unacceptable combinations of extension cords and power strips, see Figure 1. The examples have been chosen as representative of applications found at UT, however acceptable and unacceptable combinations are not limited to the examples. For questions on a particular application of extension cord or power strip use, please contact the Office of Environmental Health & Safety, University Facilities Services Electric Shop or review Electrical Safety Policy # GS 50 on our website at the following link: http://web.utk.edu/~ehss/safety%20manual/Safetymanual2kj.html Figure 1 below shows acceptable and unacceptable combinations of extension cords and power strips.

Below are some examples of improper extension cord usage.

Examples of Improper Extension Cord Usage


Power tool extension cord power strip- outlet Insulation Missing; Exposed wires Damaged Cord at plug Knotted Cord

Too many plugged into one outlet

Extension cords on floor; trip hazard

Ground plug broken off

Strained extension cords

Examples of Improper Extension Cord Usage


Daisy chained Person not properly trained working on extension cord; should be discarded Bent plug Used as permanent wiring

Below are some examples of proper extension cord use.

Examples of Proper Extension Cord Use


Power tool extension cord outlet Power tool power strip- outlet Cord protected from trip hazard in walkway Extension cord good condition

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