There is a workplace safety campaign going on. I see a poster with a photo of a guy coiling up a long wire near a power socket outlet. I walked closer to read the advice. Guess what? It says such wires should be secured using cable ties, and that laying them where there is high human traffic should be avoided. Sounds like common-sensical good advice? Nay!
Firstly, such advice isn’t practical – as very often, it is exactly where there is high human traffic, that power is need, along with such wires. Secondly, it is actually more dangerous to have a tautly wound wire laying around, as if someone trips over it, it doesn’t offer enough slack and time to allow dragging it along, for long enough to realise there is a wire caught by a foot. There is ample time for reaction, instead of instantly tripping.
Counter-intuitive, isn’t it? Who would have thought that a long loose wire can be safer? I’m not advocating this of course. What I wanted to point out is that the advice given wasn’t good enough, and that it could have deadly consequences. Here is my simple advice instead… There is no need to cable-tie wires in high traffic areas. Just duct tape them firmly and seamlessly to the ground, as flatly as possible, with floor colour contrasting tape. Simple, isn’t it?