How To Be Safe Around Your Electrical System

So, you've decided to take care of a problem in your electrical system on your own, saving yourself some time and money. Great! However, electricity can be dangerous so here are some basic precautions and tips that are essential for you to review BEFORE embarking on your project.

1. Clothing. Electricity is attracted to wet stuff, so be sure that you and your clothes are dry. Don't be doing this in a bathing suit, or wearing a tattered shirt. And don't do this barefoot! Any kind of footwear gives you at least some minimal insulation.
2. Envirionment. Make sure that the area you are working in is dry. If there is any dampness, DO NOT PROCEED! I am the expert here and I always refuse to work in a wet environment, so you should too.
3. Tools. Don't use the kitchen knife as a screwdriver. And the screwdriver attchment on your pocketknife isn't much better. You can damage the screwhead beyond usability, making a nightmare out of a simple project. And not having insulating material on anything that you use is just asking for trouble. Use decent quality, proper tools for the job, and something with a little insulation is much better than nothing. I always use Klien handtools. For more information read my article on Tools.
4. Power. Some forgotten mentor of mine years ago said, "Be dead certain or you shall certainly be dead!" Make sure off is OFF! Never EVER work on anything live. If you can't positively turn it off, DON'T TOUCH IT! Make that call and get out of the way.

   The basic way to turn off a circuit is by shutting off the appropriate breaker or unscrewing the fuse (see my article on Upgrading Your Electrical Service). Some seem to think that swithching off the main breaker is positively the best thing to do BUT I've come across a number of main breakers in my carreer that look like they are turned off and still allow current to pass through. So be cautious. I ALWAYS use a non-contact voltage tester (like Greenlee #GT-11) before working on anything, even if I know for certain that there is no voltage present. Test twice because you can only die once.

Your safety is the most important issue. You can't very well enjoy the light fixture you installed if you killed yourself or burned your house down in the process.

Now you can go on with your project.