Don’t iron barefooted

Young people, especially students, have been urged to avoid ironing their dresses while they are barefooted, to prevent them from being electrocuted.

The Public Relations Officer of the Accra West Region, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mr Eric Asante, who gave the advice, noted that it was very easy for people to get electrocuted when they did not have any footwear on while ironing.

“You do not have to iron when you are not wearing slippers because once you are not directly connected to the ground you are safe,” he told the Junior Graphic. 

According to him, the skin was a good conductor of electricity that was why when people touched exposed wires they were electrocuted.

The ECG PRO also asked children to avoid handling electronic gadgets when their hands were wet to prevent electrical shocks or electrocution. 

Mr Asante asked parents to make the children’s environment safe by ensuring that wires were covered and out of the reach of children.

Additionally, he said electrical gadgets or appliances should be put off anytime they were not in use, stressing that children should be monitored when those items were being used.

He warned against the overloading of sockets since that could spark fires or lead to electrocution.

“Children should not get close to wires that are exposed. They should draw the attention of their parents to those things,” he said.

Mr Asante also asked children to desist from the practice of frequently opening of fridges since such a practice results in the high consumption of energy.