• How to Reach Us
• Safety
• What to do if the lights go out
• In Case of Emergency
• Turning Your Electricity On and Off
• Lighting Your Home
• Storms and Flood Hazards
• Standby Electric Generator Safety

*HOW TO REACH US*

Customer Service 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Wednesday; 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Thursday; 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Friday   451-2480
Customer Service after hours or weekends 451-1616
Power outage reporting and information 451-1616
Hazardous situation 451-1616 or 911

Safety

OPU is committed to making our system safe and reliable for the good of customers and employees. Please report all Utility Safety Concerns to OPU at (507) 451-1616.

What To Do If The Lights Go Out

If your entire house or apartment is without electricity, check the neighborhood to see if there is a power outage. If neighbors' windows are dark, a call to OPU will help us restore service as quickly as possible. If you can't reach us, we probably already know about your outage because other people have reported it, unless you live in an isolated area.

If electricity is out in only your house or part of your house, then chances are that a fuse has blown or a circuit breaker has shut off because of an overload or a short circuit. To get service again, you'll need to replace the fuse or reset the circuit breaker in your electric switch box by turning completely off, then on.

In Case of an Emergency

Fires

• Be sure smoke alarms are installed throughout your home. (Replace them every 10 years.)
• If your smoke alarms run on batteries, check batteries annually. Mark it on your calendar.
• Keep fire extinguishers in your home. Be sure to keep an extinguisher in risk areas such as the kitchen and workshop, and know how to use it. Have them checked annually.
• Know what to do in case of a grease or electric fire. Use baking soda, or if a pan is on fire, smother the flames with a lid. Never use water to put out a fire on your stove.

Downed Power Lines

Warn your family members, especially children, never to touch wires lying on the ground or hanging from poles. Downed wires still may be carrying current.

Storms

Keep a Storm Preparedness kit, including:

• Water
• Food
• Flashlights and batteries
• Battery-operated radio
• Candles and matches
• A minimum two-week supply of needed medications

Turning Your Electricity On and Off

Main 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 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 Breakers

• 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 overloads 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.

Lighting Your Home

Good lighting, both inside and outside your home, not only helps avoid accidents but increases your home security, makes household tasks easier and makes it easier for emergency personnel to find your home.

Indoors

• Direct lighting over any stairs increases safety. Contrasting colors between the floor and first step will help you see the difference in height.
• With two-way switches at the top and bottom of stairways, you'll always be able to turn on the light from either end.

Outdoors

• Good lighting on steps and stairways helps prevent slips and falls.
• Be sure there's enough light to see who is at your door.
• Address markers should be well-lighted and visible from the street.

Light Fixtures

• When changing light bulbs, never exceed the wattage rating for the fixture. Check for a sticker on the base of the lamp socket.
• Turn off fixtures and light switches before replacing bulbs. If you aren't sure whether the lamp is on or of, unplug it first.
• use long-life or fluorescent bulbs where access is difficult. Fluorescent bulbs last longest and also save energy.
• make sure your kitchen counters and other work areas are well lighted for safety.

Electric Appliance Safety

Cords

• 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.

Outlets

• 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

• It's important to keep all materials that can burn away from heating sources.
• 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 (UL) symbol. This symbol shows that the products has been safety-tested.

Electricity and 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 and 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 or crock pots in water. This could damage them and give you an electric shock.

Storms and Flood Hazards

Storms and floods can create both gas and electric hazards. In an emergency, be ready to take the following steps.

• If your home is flooded, don't touch appliances while the power is still on. Turn off the electricity at the main circuit box, but first be sure you are not wet or standing in water.
• If you smell an odor of gas inside your home, call your local OPU office immediately. If the smell is strong or if you are in any doubt, do not call from your home. Get everyone out and call from a neighbor's phone.
• To turn off leaking gas, use the main shut-off valve on the inlet pipe next to your gas meter. With a wrench or other suitable tool, give the valve a quarter turn in either direction so that it is crosswise to the pipe. If you have trouble, call OPU for help.
• Once the gas is shut off at the meter, do not try to turn it back on. Only a qualified person should turn the gas back on. Call OPU to restore service.

Electrical Storm Precautions

The human body is 70 percent water, which makes it an excellent conductor of electricity. Lightning always seeks out the tallest objects in a given area and if that object is you, you could be shocked, burned or electrocuted. If you are outside in an electrical storm:

• Seek shelter. Get inside the nearest house, building or vehicle. If you can't get inside, stay low--sit or lie down. Being wet or uncomfortable is better than being struck by lighting.
• Don't stand under a tree. Trees attract lightning which can cause them to split, fall, explode or shock you if you are touching one. If you are on a golf course, drop all metal clubs, get in a golf cart, and seek a safe shelter.
• If you are swimming, get out of the water. If you are in a boat, get to shore. Stay clear of metal masts and rigging.
• Stay away from fences, electrical towers or other metal objects that can conduct electricity.

Downed or Damaged Power Lines

Is it an electric line? Telephone? Cable TV? Don't guess. Assume every downed line is a live electric line. and remember that winds can whip these lines around, making them extremely dangerous. Stay a safe distance away. Do not attempt to free anyone or anything in contact with a power line. Call for emergency help.

• If a live line is touching your vehicle, stay in the vehicle and wait for help to arrive. If the vehicle catches fire or if you must get out, jump clear without touching the ground and the vehicle at the same time. Shuffle away--don't walk or run.
• Stay clear of puddles, fences, trees or any other object in contact with a power line. Remember, metal is not the only conductor of electricity.
• Stay away from leaning power poles and towers or sagging power lines. Call OPU at 451-2480 immediately.

Stay Calm. Don't Become a Victim

In an emergency, it's easy to panic. Loud noises, roaring wind and flashes of lightning can seem terrifying and threatening. But the real danger may be more subtle--a gas leak, or electricity from a severed power line.

Owatonna Public Utilities wants its customers informed about the most common gas and electric hazards caused by storms and natural disasters, and to show you how to prevent injuries and stay safe.

Everyday Precautions

No one can predict natural disasters, but you can reduce the possibility of damage and injury by observing these safety measures.

• Do not store or use gasoline, paint or other flammable substances in the same area as any gas appliance such as a water heater or other source of flame.
• Know where the shut-off valves of all your appliances are located, as well as the shut-offs for your household gas and electric services.
• Do not locate pools and spas under electric lines.
• If trees or tree branches are too close to electric lines, call OPU at 451-2480.

Standby Electric Generator Safety

Follow These Guidelines to Make Sure That Your Generator Is Working Safely

Some customers prepare for the possibility of power outages by buying an electric generator as a standby system to keep lights and appliances running until service is restored.

A generator may be able to save food in you refrigerator or freezer during a prolonged outage, let you keep your home office running, or power other essential equipment. Generators can be expensive and noisy. They can also pose serious safety hazards to you and to others, so please follow all safety instructions provided by the manufacturer.

The law requires that customers with a permanently installed or portable generator do not connect it to another power source, such as OPU's power lines. If you own and operate a generator, you are responsible for making sure that electricity from your unit cannot "backfeed," or flow into OPU's power lines. For safety's sake, be sure to use your generator correctly. If you don't, you risk damaging your property and endangering your life and the lives of OPU line workers who may be working on power lines some distance from your home.

Permanent Standby Generators

When a generator is permanently connected to a customer's electric system, it energizes the building's wiring. This type of installation requires a device that prevents the generator from being connected to OPU's power lines. Follow these safety tips:

• Only a qualified professional, such as a licensed electric contractor, should install a permanent standby generator.
• a double-pole, double-throw transfer switch is the recommended device to keep your generator from backfeeding into OPU's system. The switch also keeps OPU's power from re-energizing your house wiring while your generator is running, protecting your generator, wiring and appliances from damage when you service is restored.
• have all additions to your house wiring inspected by our State Electrical Inspector.
• When installation is complete, call OPU to let us know about your back-up system. We will make a note in our records to remind our workers of your generator if they are working on an outage in your area. In some cases, OPU line workers may ask to check your electric generator transfer switch for safety.
• If you already have a permanently installed standby generator but you don't know if it's installed properly, call your local building inspector or a licensed contractor for help.

You are responsible for any injuries or damage to your property, your neighbors' or OPU's from an improperly installed or operated generator.

Portable Generators

Portable generators are designed to be connected only to selected appliances or lamps. These generators never should be connected directly to a building's wiring system.

• Before starting your generator, carefully read and follow all of the manufacturer's instructions.
• Be sure that the total electric load on your generator won's exceed the manufacturer's rating.
• Always locate your generator where its exhaust will vent safely.
• Prioritize your needs. Use the lowest wattage light bulbs that provide a safe level of light, reserving power for additional lighting elsewhere or a small appliance. Remember that the greater the load on you generator, the more fuel it will use.
• Keep cords out of the way so they don's present a tripping hazard--especially in dimly lit doorways or halls. Never run cords under rugs or carpets where heat might build up or damage to a cord may go unnoticed.
• Extension cords must be properly sized to carry the electric load. Overloaded cords can overheat and cause fires or damage to equipment.

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