154 Adventures in Food and Nutrition
• Arrange the cord so others won't
trip over it. Also, place it so that you
won't get caught in the cord and pull
the appliance off the counter.
• If an appliance has a cord that can
be removed, plug the cord into the
appliance fi rst. Then, plug the cord
into the electrical circuit. Unplug
small appliances when you are not
using them. Parts of the appliance
may have electricity fl owing through
them even when the switch is off.
• If something seems to be wrong
with an appliance, don't use it. Un-
plug it and have a trained service
person examine it.
• Avoid using extension cords. If you
must use one, select a heavy-duty
one. Be sure the extension cord
matches the appliance's plug. Some
appliances have a plug with two
prongs, others have three prongs.
• Don't overload circuits. Overloading
them could cause a shock or fi re.
• Food may get stuck in an appliance,
such as bread in a toaster. If this
happens, unplug the appliance and
carefully remove the food. Never put
a metal utensil in an appliance that
is plugged in. You could get shocked.
Water and electricity don’t mix. Here’s
how to prevent painful injuries and death
caused by electrical shocks.
• Do not place appliances near water
such as sinks and water pipes. If an
appliance falls into water, unplug it
right away. Do not reach into the wa-
ter until the appliance is unplugged.
• Dry your hands before using an
electrical appliance.
• Don't stand on a wet fl oor when us-
ing an electrical appliance.
• Unplug small appliances before
washing or cleaning them.
To Prevent Poisonings
You may not realize that some of the
products you use every day are deadly
poisons. Household cleaning products
such as dish washing detergent, ammonia,
window cleaner, and bleach are poisons.
Insect spray, gasoline, paints, lotions, and
alcohol are poisons, too. Vitamin supple-
ments and medicines can be harmful if they
are not taken correctly.
Poisons can enter your body through
three routes. They can enter through your
nose and lungs if you inhale them. Poisons
can enter through your mouth if you eat or
drink them. Some can pass through your skin
when you touch them. When you work with
substances that can be poisonous, be sure to
prevent them from entering your body.
Many people, especially children, are
poisoned every day. To prevent poisonings,
keep these safety points in mind.
8-7 8-7
Always unplug an appliance by pulling Always unplug an appliance by pulling
on the plug instead of the cord. on the plug instead of the cord.
Enrich: Have students investigate electricity and determine why
electricity and water don’t mix.