Your Power Company

Safety Tips

Gas Meter

Know where your main gas shutoff valve is in case you need to shut it off in an emergency. Keep a wrench nearby. Call PG&E to turn it back on.

Appliance Shutoff Valve

Know which of your home's appliances run on natural gas. Know where their appliance shutoff valves are located. In most cases, turning off the gas at the appliance's shutoff valve will suffice.

Pilot Lights

Know which, if any, of your appliances have a pilot light. Keep the manufacturer's relighting instructions within easy reach.

Gas Odors

Keep a flashlight handy to investigate minor gas odors. Check pilot lights to make sure they are lit. Never use matches or candles, and never turn any electric switches on or off if you smell gas. Always wait 5 minutes to let gas disperse before trying to relight your appliance. If the smell or sound of escaping gas continues or if you have any doubts, open windows and doors and get everyone out of the building. Call PG&E or 911 from the nearest phone away from the gas odor.

Main Electric Switch

Know where your home's main electric switch is, so you can turn off the electric supply to your entire home quickly in case of an emergency.

Fuses

Know where your fuse box or circuit-breaker box is located. Know the correct sizes of any fuses needed in your home and keep spares on hand. Blown fuses must be replaced, not repaired. Do not replace a fuse with one of higher amperage. If a fuse blows, disconnect or turn off the appliance(s) that may have caused the problem. Shut off the main electric switch before replacing a fuse.

Circuit Breaker

Know how to reset a circuit breaker. After turning off or unplugging appliances on the circuit, push the switch firmly to the off position, then back on. If the overload is cleared, the electricity will come back on. If your circuit breakers trip off repeatedly, there could be a problem with the appliance(s) on that circuit. If the appliances are unplugged but the circuit breaker trips off again, call an electrician.

Electric Appliances

Do not place electric cords under rugs or where they can be walked on or damage can go unnoticed. Check for cords that are broken, frayed, damaged or tied in knots, or that have melted insulation. Have them repaired or replaced promptly. Use extension cords with three-pronged plugs for appliances that require grounding. Insert and remove plugs by grasping the plug. Pulling on the cord could damage it. Be careful not to let fingers touch the metal prongs.

Cords

Don't overload an outlet with too many lamps or appliances. Put safety covers over unused electric outlets. This is particularly important if you have children in your home. Never let children play around outlets.

Electric Heaters

Don't hang clothes to dry on or near your heater, heating vent or hot plate. Avoid placing furniture and blankets close to heaters or hot plates. Use only appliances with the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) symbol. This symbol shows that the product has been safety-tested.

Electric & Water

Electric appliances and water can be a lethal combination. If an appliance falls into a sink or tub of water, or if you touch an appliance with wet hands or while standing in water, you risk severe electric shock and possibly death. Never use any electric appliances - radios (except small battery-powered ones), TVs, hair dryers - near sinks, toilets or bathtubs. Always dry your hands before touching electric appliances. Keep the floor around your washer and dryer clean and dry. Unplug small appliances when washing them. Never immerse appliances such as rice cookers in water. This could damage them and give you an electric shock.